5207

TAINO PRECOLUMBIAN ANTROPIC SITTING PLATFORM

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:380.00 USD Estimated At:NA
TAINO PRECOLUMBIAN ANTROPIC SITTING PLATFORM
Taino. PreColumbian. Anthropic sitting platform similar to a duho. Although the back does not curve up like we see in duhos it is similar in a number of ways. First it has a head, in this case highly relief carved. Second it has support legs, the back two shaped like legs and third, an embossed penis is carved between the back legs, a chiefly symbol of reproduction. Although most duhos are made of wood, stone examples are known. The extended head is braced by ear ornaments. The nose and mouth combine to form a dog’s head, a common symbol for the underworld and death. Behind the head and carved into the platform, is a decorative headpiece. Embossed arms extend along the sides with the hands coming to rest under the chin. Three interlocking bird heads form a symbolic band beneath the arms. On either side of the head, bird beaks emerge from the concentric circle symbols, forming addition bird heads. A pair of holes have been drilled each side of the cabeza. Made from micaceous schist that glitters in the sunlight. Measures 17 X 8 inches. Taino Culture. C. 800-1500 AD. Dominican Republic. Originally from the collection of William MacFeeters, a bank representative for National and City Bank, NYC, who was an agent for the bank in Barahona, Dominican Republic in the 1940’s through the 1950’s. Collection privately acquired and now being dispersed. Curated by Larry Roberts author of “Taino Sculptures, Art of the Gods”. “Taino Hallucinogenic Implements Inhaling the Cosmic Dust” and newly released “Taino Zemis and Other Heads of State, ReDiscovering Caribbean Art”. BS. Archeology U of Fl and BA Art History U of Fl. The Taino were master carvers who created a distinctive deistic and ancestral assembly unrivaled by their pan-Caribbean contemporaries. Exceptional craftsmanship, carefully polished semiprecious stone, and ingenious technological skills speak to our aesthetic sensibilities. Though we may not understand the arts specifics, the conceptual grasp is sublime. Taino art transmitted symbolic meaning, sacral ideology and tribal lineage. A recognized system of shapes, design elements and ideographs, forming a collective manifest that communicated social identity and cultural cohesion. This lot has a reserve.