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3
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- Standing high priestess the skull with ritual deformations…
See original version (French)
3
-
- Standing high priestess the skull with ritual deformations…
See original version (French)
Estimate €3,500 - €4,500
Voluntary lot
Description
- Standing high priestess
the skull with ritual deformations
Polychrome terracotta, local smooth engobes, slightly broken and glued
Jama-Coaque, Ecuador, ca. 500 BC - 500 AD
45 cm
Archolabs TL thermoluminescence analysis, 26 January 2005
Provenance: Jouan SVV sale, Paris, 22 November 2005, lot no. 247
This figure is typical of the Ecuadorian coast, where representations of high-ranking figures, often female, occupy a central place. The elongated skull corresponds to an intentional cranial deformation, a practice attested in several pre-Columbian cultures of Ecuador and Peru. This was achieved in early childhood by gradually compressing the skull using planks or ties, keeping the head in a constrained position during the first years of growth.
This irreversible physical modification was a strong social marker, generally associated with the elite, dominant lineages or ritual functions. It was part of a visual construction of status and identity, immediately visible within the group.
The frontal posture, clasped hands and stable attitude suggest a codified representation, probably linked to a ceremonial function. In this body of work, these figures embody social roles rather than individual portraits, where bodily appearance, ornamentation and body transformations reflect access to rank and authority within society.
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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