Pre-Columbian Valdivian Figure
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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