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Source Description
This miniature vessel consists of a small chamber atop four peg feet. Knobs on opposite sides are zoomorphic heads, likely either feline or saurian. The incised ornamentation of the vessel body consists of a percentage-sign-like motif, framed by fine impressed chevron banding motifs also seen in Tairona gold work. This decorative pattern, paired with heads facing opposite directions, is a fairly common motif in late Tairona art. It has been interpreted as a canoe, reflecting the importance of maritime trade among the Caribbean islands and potentially symbolizing a comparable 'mobility' through supernatural realms. As such, it is likely this small vessel was used to hold a hallucinogenic substance, likely in a powdered form.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
76593
label
Small Footed Bowl with Tiger Head Handles
core
obj
dtoType
object
citationUrl
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
76593
sourceUrl
contentType
object
stage
normalized
title
Small Footed Bowl with Tiger Head Handles
description
This miniature vessel consists of a small chamber atop four peg feet. Knobs on opposite sides are zoomorphic heads, likely either feline or saurian. The incised ornamentation of the vessel body consists of a percentage-sign-like motif, framed by fine impressed chevron banding motifs also seen in Tairona gold work. This decorative pattern, paired with heads facing opposite directions, is a fairly common motif in late Tairona art. It has been interpreted as a canoe, reflecting the importance of maritime trade among the Caribbean islands and potentially symbolizing a comparable 'mobility' through supernatural realms. As such, it is likely this small vessel was used to hold a hallucinogenic substance, likely in a powdered form.
provenance
Stiftung Für Altamerikanischen Kulturen, Zürich, Switzerland, prior to 1979 [deaccessioned in 1992 when the private museum was permanently closed]; Leonard Kalina Fine Arts, Los Angeles, CA, prior to May 24, 2005; Austen-Stokes Ancient Americas Foundation [John Stokes as agent], May 24, 2005, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 2007, by gift.
date
1000-1500 (Pre-Colombian)
citationUrl
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
genreSpecific
Ceramics
bowls (vessels)
imageCount
1
pageCount
1
source
import
dimensions
units
cm
width
5.1
height
10.2
dimensionsRaw
2 x 4 in. (5.08 x 10.16 cm)
Source extras
cul
Tairona
style
Tairona (Phase 1-2)
med
earthenware
creator_ids
8572
collection_ids
AME
exhibition_ids
none
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
adf3fa649c34bae5