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Price – $1245
Explore this exquisite Condorhuasi figure vessel, crafted from orange clay with a buff surface and applied paint. This ancient artifact showcases intricate facial features and body tattooing. Hooped arms to his side also suspend the vessel. Encapsulated during burial, a white layer deposit of calcium carbonate surrounds the figure’s surface.
This effigy vessel’s overall height is 7” and can be stood unassisted; however, a custom wooden platform has been provided for better stability.
The inner rim is chipped, as shown otherwise, and is in excellent overall condition.
The Condorhuasi culture, flourishing between 2000 BC and 500 AD in what is now northwestern Argentina, is renowned for its sophisticated ceramics and intricate stone artistry. The Condorhuasi people are believed to have had a deep connection with their environment and spiritual beliefs, often expressed through their pottery and stone artifacts.
Collectors and historians alike value Condorhuasi ceramics for their rarity and historical importance. Ensuring the preservation of such artifacts is vital for ongoing research and education about ancient South American cultures. With its calcium carbonate coating, this figure vessel remains in excellent overall condition, making it a prized addition to any collection of ancient artifacts.
Price – $795
This is a battle sling from the Inca culture c. 1400s. Made of braided Llama wool. The brown and tan colored center cradle/pouch has a slit to secure the stone projectile. These were very effective Inca weapons. When not in use, it was worn as a headband. Simultaneously, slings were also used for herding but generally made more colorful. Ceremonial dance huaracas are identifiable by their elaborate and complex braiding using multiple contrasting colors with no slit in its pouch.
Andean highlands, Peru. c. 1400 AD. Measures 65″ / 165. cm in length. Some natural degradation is evident in the fibers. Excellent condition. Mounted in an older antique style wood shadow box frame with a hinged lock door. Keys provided. The display case measures 17.75” x 12” x 2”.
Price – $600
An ornate pair of lime spoons with Sandpiper finials. These small spoons removed lime from specialized receptacles (caleros, poporus) as part of the coca chewing ritual. These tools resemble tupus, but their shaft is shorter, and they end in a small, convex spoon rather than a point. Special treatment was given to the spoon head. The casting would have been detailed, but after two millennia, it has been hidden under a gorgeous, rich, encrusted verdigris patina. North Coast Peru, Moche, ca. 100 B.C. – 300 A.D.
Measures approx. 4″ and 3.5″. A wooden platform will accompany these pieces.
Price – $495
Finely made Valdivian Ceremonial Stone Axe. Symmetric and highly polished dark green stone. Custom display stand. Measures 6.25″ (16.87cm) tall. 7″ (17.78cm) mounted. Choice condition. Ecuador 4400-1450 B.C. These refined stone axes were symbolic and interred as payment to Mother Earth.
Professionally mounted and ready to display. Perfectly sized for an office desk.
A great interest in and desire for green stones developed during the Late Formative period. They were exotic in most areas and would have been sought in exchange over long distances as they became widespread in domestic and mortuary contexts. The dramatic growth in popularity of green stones also occurred at about the same time in Mesoamerica.
These objects are only known through archeological studies in northwest South America and have usually been described as” ceremonial axes.” However, the Museo Chileno of Precolumbian Art describes these as “Lithophones.”
Similar examples were published in Ancient Ecuador—Culture, Clay, and Creativity 3000-300 B.C. and appear at Casa del Alabado Museum of Pre-Columbian Art, Quito, Ecuador.
Price – $1,245
For your consideration, here is an excellent opportunity to acquire a rare pair of small Chancay clay figurines called “Cuchimilcos” or “Star Gazers.” These twins stand at 7.5″/19.05 cm and 7.3″/18.54 cm in height; they are made from fired clay and painted in cream, with brown paint detailing their features. Each figure is carefully crafted, with detailed facial features and open arms, possibly symbolizing a welcoming gesture or an offering posture. Decorated tunics, perhaps depicting pollywogs, adorn them, enhancing their cultural significance and artistic charm.
The Chancay culture, flourishing on the central coast of Peru between 1200 and 1450 AD, is renowned for its distinctive pottery and textiles. Again, this is an excellent opportunity to acquire an actual set of Cuchimilcos, which intrigue people because they often appear in pairs within Chancay tombs. They are remarkably preserved and offer a rare glimpse into the burial practices and beliefs of the Chancay people. Some scholars suggest that these figures served as symbolic companions for the deceased, possibly representing a female counterpart intended to accompany the individual into the afterlife.
The craftsmanship of these figures highlights the Chancay culture’s attention to detail and symbolic expression. The creamy white base with brown paint application is typical of Chancay pottery, which often features simple yet expressive designs. The depiction of the tunics with possible pollywog motifs might hint at themes of fertility, water, or rebirth, though the exact significance remains a topic of scholarly debate.
These Cuchimilcos are more than just decorative items; they are cultural artifacts that offer insight into the spiritual and everyday lives of the Chancay people. Their well-preserved condition, coupled with their historical significance, makes them a valuable addition to any collection of pre-Columbian art. Whether you are a seasoned collector or new to the field, this pair of Chancay figurines represents a unique and meaningful acquisition.
Condition: Completely intact pairs.
Provenance: Florida collection; W Tooley, Friendswood, TX
Price – $985
A tall, pointed bottom amphora with faded negative resist black geometric decoration on a cream ground and painted red-brown geometric decorative highlights. The surface has scattered mineral deposits. There is a 1/2” rim chip and a few minor surface scratches; otherwise, it is intact.
Piartal cultural complex. Ca. 750 A.D.-1250 A.D. Highland Nariño region. Measures approx 24.5” H, 29.5” on the stand.
Custom metal base included – Ready for display.
Price – $2,200
Large Fine Nariño Vessel
A very large globular vessel from the Piartal cultural complex. Ca. 750 A.D. – 1250 A.D. Highland Nariño region. This rare, important olla is decorated with symbols of authority. Resist black-painted curved canes and spot elements integrated onto the cream-painted pot with added red and black framing lines. Measures approximately 18.5″ H, 13″ Dia., 44″ circum.
Completely intact with minor surface wear consistent with its age – Strong paint. Condition is Choice.
Price – $5,200
Fremont Clay Effigy Figure
An exceedingly rare unfired buff clay figure from the Fremont Culture. They are a prehistoric Native American culture that inhabited what is now the western United States, particularly in the present-day states of Utah, Nevada, Idaho, and Colorado, during the Late Prehistoric period, roughly from about 700 to 1300 AD. The purpose of this figurine is still unknown, but it suggests these artifacts may be associated with religious rituals or fertility. Very little is known about this culture, but they are famous for their rock art. Their pictographs and petroglyphs depict trapezoidal figures with arms, legs, and fingers and are decorated with headdresses and necklaces.
This figurine measures approximately 4″ in height. It has a flat, broad face with a pronounced brow ridge and nose. Applied oval-shaped eyes with decorative incisions. Wears long beaded ear embellishments—the short arm with applied adornments. A simple choker attaches a large beaded pendent. There are traces of white pigment and black ash throughout. It is in choice condition.
Provenance: Ex Lozovsky, CA; Private Florida collection.
Note: Per the Advances in Archaeological Practice: Archaeological Fingerprinting and Fremont Figurines, just 400-plus documented Fremont figurines are known, most highly degraded and in broken condition.
This piece will also include an additional Certificate of Authentication by Jackson Gallery. Grade: G-9+ Note: Extremely Rare Form.
Price – POR
Inca Warriors Sling (Huaraca-Waraka)
This unique battle sling was well constructed. It was made of twisted human hair and braided with Llama wool. One could speculate the reason for choosing one’s own hair in its construction was the lack of resources during wartime. The center cradle/pouch has a slit to secure the stone projectile—a very effective Inca weapon. When not in use, it was worn as a headband. Simultaneously, slings were also used for herding but generally made more colorful and used llama wool only. Other ceremonial dance huaracas are identifiable by their elaborate and complex braiding using multiple contrasting colors with no slit in its’ pouch.
Andean highlands, Peru. Ca. 1400 AD. Measures 75″ / 190.5 cm in length. Choice condition. Mounted in a wood shadow box frame with a hinged door.
Price $1,255
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Regional Division of Pre-Columbian Americas’ Major Archaeological Cultural Phases