Isla de la Plata
Ecuador
500 BCE-200 CE
Mold made, hollow, orange earthenware with appliqued elements and incised features
8.50"H x 5.50"W
Mint condition with excellent manganese dioxide blooms and soil deposits
Provenance: American private collection, formed in the last quarter of the 20th century
A beautiful and classic example of the Bahia style figures found on Isla de la Plata, a small island off the coast of central Ecuador. The styling and quality of this figurative group is much finer than typical. The figure shows cranial deformation and is enigmatic, possibly being a male, not a female. The "child" is somewhat mummy like, stiff, and looks more adult-like than infantile.