Valdivian Double-Headed Figure
Ecuador, 2300-2200 BCE
Some of the earliest known works of art in western South America have been found on Ecuador's Santa Elena Peninsula, where the Valdivia peoples produced small stone and ceramic figurines. These latter statuettes were produced from two slabs of clay pressed together to form the torso and legs. Predominantly female, these figurines often depict women in various stages of their lives. There are examples, however, of figurines with both male and female characteristics, as well as figures, like the one pictured here, which display more than one individual. As seen in the figurine here, two female heads and torsos emerge from a shared lower body. The women's faces are tilted slightly and their expressions are formed by small horizontal incisions. Both figures have short caplike hair and round prominent breasts, appearing from the waist up as mirror images of each other. Their arms are clasped below their chests and their legs are splayed in typical Valdivian figurine stance. Commonly interpreted as fertility figures and/or guardian spirits, the exact purpose of these precocious figurines remains unknown.
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Ecuador, 2300-2200 BCE
Some of the earliest known works of art in western South America have been found on Ecuador's Santa Elena Peninsula, where the Valdivia peoples produced small stone and ceramic figurines. These latter statuettes were produced from two slabs of clay pressed together to form the torso and legs. Predominantly female, these figurines often depict women in various stages of their lives. There are examples, however, of figurines with both male and female characteristics, as well as figures, like the one pictured here, which display more than one individual. As seen in the figurine here, two female heads and torsos emerge from a shared lower body. The women's faces are tilted slightly and their expressions are formed by small horizontal incisions. Both figures have short caplike hair and round prominent breasts, appearing from the waist up as mirror images of each other. Their arms are clasped below their chests and their legs are splayed in typical Valdivian figurine stance. Commonly interpreted as fertility figures and/or guardian spirits, the exact purpose of these precocious figurines remains unknown.
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Pre-Columbian Valdivian Figure
Terracotta, southern coast of Ecuador, 500BC - 500AD
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Terracotta, southern coast of Ecuador, 500BC - 500AD
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Miniature Valdivian Pottery Fertility Figure
Pre-Columbian, Ecuador, Valdivian culture, ca. 2380 to 1380 BCE.
This is an adorable and miniature hand-sculpted pottery figure of an abstract and stylized feminine form. The minimalist features include a pair of thick legs and highly compressed body - indeed the head seems to rest directly on the legs with no torso to speak of, and the slightly raised "chin area" likely represents a pubis. The squared head and face are framed by an incised coiffure or headdress. A slightly raised protrusion down the center of the recessed facial plane creates a nose and linear etchings as eyes and mouth. Valdivian figurines often emphasis breasts, pubis, and the voluptuous contours of the female form, and it is believed that the figures were used in fertility rituals. These are among the earliest representational images of the Americas and their precise purpose remains a mystery. This rare miniature lady was perhaps small enough to easily carry in a pouch or wrap a suspension cord around as a pendant. Size: 1.32" L x 0.64" W (3.4 cm x 1.6 cm)
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Pre-Columbian, Ecuador, Valdivian culture, ca. 2380 to 1380 BCE.
This is an adorable and miniature hand-sculpted pottery figure of an abstract and stylized feminine form. The minimalist features include a pair of thick legs and highly compressed body - indeed the head seems to rest directly on the legs with no torso to speak of, and the slightly raised "chin area" likely represents a pubis. The squared head and face are framed by an incised coiffure or headdress. A slightly raised protrusion down the center of the recessed facial plane creates a nose and linear etchings as eyes and mouth. Valdivian figurines often emphasis breasts, pubis, and the voluptuous contours of the female form, and it is believed that the figures were used in fertility rituals. These are among the earliest representational images of the Americas and their precise purpose remains a mystery. This rare miniature lady was perhaps small enough to easily carry in a pouch or wrap a suspension cord around as a pendant. Size: 1.32" L x 0.64" W (3.4 cm x 1.6 cm)
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