Lot 57

Taino Stone Zemi Pendant - Crouching Anthropomorph

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Lot 57
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Taino Stone Zemi Pendant - Crouching Anthropomorph
Taino Stone Zemi Pendant - Crouching Anthropomorph
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Taino Stone Zemi Pendant - Crouching Anthropomorph

Estimate: $800 - $1,200

Starting Bid: $400

(0 Bids)
by Artemis Fine Arts
June 25, 2026 9:00 AM MDT (In Progress)
Live Auction
686 S. Taylor Avenue
Suite 108
Louisville, CO, US 80027

Pre-Columbian, Dominican Republic, Taino, ca. 1000–1500 CE. A compact stone amulet carved in the form of a crouching zemi, the anthropomorphic spirit at the heart of Taino cosmology. The figure rests low to the ground, knees drawn forward and arms held close to the body, its broad head dominated by deeply hollowed circular eyes and a rectangular, cross-hatched mouth or muzzle that lends the visage an arresting, almost feline intensity. The cranium swells back into a smooth dome, while incised lines suggest paws or digits at the terminals of the limbs. The pale gray stone, weathered to a chalky patina with earthen accretions still clinging to the recesses, retains the warmth of long handling. Twin suspension perforations, drilled through the verso of each arm, confirm the piece was meant to be worn against the body, perhaps strung at the throat or bound to a ceremonial belt. Among the Taino of Hispaniola and the wider Greater Antilles, zemis served as conduits for ancestral and elemental powers, embodying spirits that mediated between the human and the unseen. A miniature pendant zemi such as this likely accompanied its owner as a personal guardian, drawn close in moments requiring protection, divination, or communion with the cemi-spirit it housed. Size: 1.5" W x 3.1" H (3.8 cm W x 7.9 cm H).

Provenance: ex-private collection, Fairhaven, Massachusetts, USA, collected from 2010 to 2015

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Item # 198632

  • Condition: Excellent. Light surface wear, but, otherwise, intact, excellent, and wearable with good remaining detail.

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000