Unsure
26 March 2021
Description

Approximately 9” tall looks like hardened clay

Provenance

Nothing except my father visited Columbia bogata South American

Acquired from
Inherited
For sale
Maybe
Answered within 3 days
By Leah I.
Mar 29, 11:51 UTC
Fair Market Value
$100 - $150 USD
Insurance Value $0 USD
What does this mean?

Thank you for contacting Mearto. This is a Columbian clay figurine. The figure is hollow and unglazed. He holds some sort of animal and wears a bangle on his leg. He appears to be wearing a headdress. Indentations are used to delineate details.

Throughout this region of South America, we find similar objects. Here is some information about figurines from the Cauca River valley, near Bogota:

“The people inhabiting the hills and valleys of the middle Cauca River during the centuries before the Spanish conquest in the 1530s made distinctive ceramic figures of the type illustrated here. The stylized figures are known familiarly as slab figures. They can be solid or hollow, male or female, although most are male. They range in height from four to twenty inches. Square or rectangular slabs of clay make up the head and body and heavy coils of clay are attached for arms and legs.

Slab figures were included with ceramic vessels and metal ornaments as offerings in burials in shaft and chamber tombs. They may have been considered guardians or companions for the deceased.”

Source: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/310244

At auction, these figurines usually sell for between $100 to $150. Some go for more, but they tend to have more detail, glazing, and colorful designs. I have added a few links below with hammer prices.

2 for $200
https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/44876163_2-ancient-pre-columbian-clay-figures

$75, damage
https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/3118307_1091-columbian-terra-cotta-clay-figure-goddess

$125
https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/39071517_pre-columbian-clay-figure-ecuador

3 for $225
https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/lot-of-3-pre-columbian-pottery-figures-2050-c-f6fe017e51

$2500 for 2, more complex, glazed
https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/pair-nayarit-seated-figures-female-male-115-c-3414ae38d3

$700, more complex, glazed
https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/pre-columbian-polychrome-nayarit-figure-of-a-seat-6044-c-b9344348d7

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