Colima
West Mexico
100 BC–250 AD
Ceramic
Height 9 1/4"; Length 5"
Provenance: Private collection, Oceanside, CA
This Colima redware dog vessel sits on its haunches with the head turned upward and to the side, mouth open, with a small squared spout rising from the back of the neck. The surface is densely covered in root marks — fine white lines left by plant roots during burial — distributed evenly across the entire body, and the red-brown slip beneath retains strong color with darker fire clouding throughout. A small round eye is clearly modeled on the visible side of the turned head, and the curled tail sits low at the rear.
The turned-head posture, less common than the standard forward-facing Colima dog, gives this figure a distinctive silhouette in which the neck and head form a vertical axis separate from the horizontal body. The density of root marking across this piece is consistent with extended burial in soil and is considered by collectors a marker of authenticity and age. The Colima dog is associated with the hairless Xoloitzcuintli breed and its role as a guide for the dead in ancient Mesoamerican belief.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
Colima
West Mexico
100 BC–250 AD
Ceramic
Height 9 1/4"; Length 5"
Provenance: Private collection, Oceanside, CA
This Colima redware dog vessel sits on its haunches with the head turned upward and to the side, mouth open, with a small squared spout rising from the back of the neck. The surface is densely covered in root marks — fine white lines left by plant roots during burial — distributed evenly across the entire body, and the red-brown slip beneath retains strong color with darker fire clouding throughout. A small round eye is clearly modeled on the visible side of the turned head, and the curled tail sits low at the rear.
The turned-head posture, less common than the standard forward-facing Colima dog, gives this figure a distinctive silhouette in which the neck and head form a vertical axis separate from the horizontal body. The density of root marking across this piece is consistent with extended burial in soil and is considered by collectors a marker of authenticity and age. The Colima dog is associated with the hairless Xoloitzcuintli breed and its role as a guide for the dead in ancient Mesoamerican belief.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
