Meso American Idol

[Mattern]

Ill try to make this short. A good friend just opened a Military collectables store in my town. He told me he had some Artifacts coming in today. I went to look and the seller was there. Everything was broken. All from the Gettysburg area. Some would have been very valuable if complete. I did pick up 3 unifaces for a song and dance. He asked me if I was interested in Mexican pieces and I said let's take a look. He proceeded to on wrap two nice southern dish like plates, Anastasi I think. Then he also had two small Idols.. This one is from Northern Mexico and is complete. He is now part of my collection. I also bought the two dish pieces as well. I really like this piece. You can never have enough Complete pottery pieces. Enjoy. Kim


Here CC. So the story continues. The man I got these from is a Civil War collector and a co curator for a Museum in Gettysburg. He insists on Providence. He tells me these two pieces come from Southern Texas near the Mexican border. #1 is a plate and and a shallow bowel. There's no doubt they are very old, he told me 300 AD. The patina is just like the patina on any ancient pottery, and the pitting would be very difficult to replicate. So I am confidant they are authentic. #2 & 3 are the plate or saucer . #4 & 5 are the shallow bowel. Note in the last picture is a finger print in the center of the bowel. K

[Cecilia]

Outstanding fellow! (But how you know idol and not rendition somebody’s brother?……. must give you hard time😁)

Let’s see the plates!

[Mattern]

I use Idol because it is kind of all inclusive. I would think that even a rendition could still be considered an Idol. Thanks for looking CC. I'll post the plates after supper. K

[Cecilia]

I love the plates, too! That one bears fingerprint (of the maker, I imagine) is very, very special, even more personal connection to the past. You really scored… and didn’t even have to cross any borders between states or countries!

(P.s. I think is definitionally accurate to say all sculptured idols are renditions but not all sculptured renditions are idols. 😳😉. Bet Clovis would know if yours is indeed an idol, and if so, maybe even know which particular one it is… wouldn’t that be cool to know?!)

[Hal Gorges]

Nice grabs Kim👍

[clovisoid]

The figurine is a slab figurine from Jalisco, Nayarit, or Colima Mexico. Those three states have several cultures that made a lot of figurines.

Looks similar to some pieces from Tuxcacueces area
of Jalisco. The entire area is riddled with shaft-tombs cut into rock.

The plates could be from the same area, but could be from anywhere in Western or Central Mexico, or from several areas of Central America.

They all look right as rain to me.

[Mattern]

Thank you Clovis for the info and authentication. This is actually why I posted them. Because they are a bit out of my cultural knowledge. But I knew they must be good. K

[Cecilia]

Kim, this site specifically talks about what Clovis referenced, figurines from Nayarit that are grave goods from shaft-tombs:

https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/la...can-artifacts/

[Mattern]

Thank you CC. that was a good read and picts. made it even better. K

[Benji]

Very nice mattern......cool artifacts

[Mattern]

Thanks for lookin Ben. K