La Tolita-Tumaco Grey Ware Figure Fragment

Pre-Columbian Era, La Tolita-Tumaco Culture, c. 900 BC–200 AD, Southern Colombia or Northern Ecuador

An enchanting and highly stylized grey ware fragment depicting the upper body of a mythical animal, with applied stubbly front legs, an elongated body, bulging eyes, and a pronounced beak or snout. Finely hand-modeled from sandy grey clay, the fragment reveals the exceptional craftsmanship and artistic imagination characteristic of the La Tolita-Tumaco culture.

The La Tolita-Tumaco was a major Pre-Columbian civilization that flourished along the coastal regions of southern Colombia and northern Ecuador. Two of its most significant archaeological sites — La Tolita and Tumaco — have yielded a wealth of artistic and ceremonial artifacts, with the earliest materials from La Tolita dating as far back as 600 BC. The culture is renowned for its sophisticated ceramic production, which included vessels, figurines, tripods, and yuca graters, often made from greyish sandy clay.

La Tolita artisans are particularly celebrated for their expressive and finely detailed anthropomorphic and zoomorphic figures, frequently adorned with ornaments such as nose rings, ear spools, and pectorals. Many of their creations embody mythical or supernatural beings — half-human, half-animal — reflecting a profound spiritual symbolism and a worldview where nature, humanity, and the divine intertwined. This evocative fragment stands as a remarkable testament to that ancient artistic vision.

Good condition. Fragment. Surface wear and abrasions commensurate with age, nicks and chip, with fading to some finer features, and light encrustations within recessed areas. Nice earthen deposits throughout. Size approx. 4,7cm x 3,6 cm x 2,6cm.

Provenance: Dutch private collection