Lot 22

Pre-Columbian San Jeronimo Terracotta Female Figure - Biconical Headdress

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Lot 22
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Pre-Columbian San Jeronimo Terracotta Female Figure - Biconical Headdress
Pre-Columbian San Jeronimo Terracotta Female Figure - Biconical Headdress
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Pre-Columbian San Jeronimo Terracotta Female Figure - Biconical Headdress

Estimate: $500 - $750

Current Bid: $250

(1 Bid)
by Artemis Fine Arts
August 7, 2026 9:00 AM MDT
Live Auction
686 S. Taylor Avenue
Suite 108
Louisville, CO, US 80027

Pre-Columbian, Mexico, San Jeronimo, ca. 300 BCE – 300 CE. A standing female figure modeled in buff terracotta, her body distilled to a frank geometry of tapering legs, a slim torso, and short arms flung outward like wings. The oversized head commands attention: a broad, angular face with punctate coffee-bean eyes, an incised brow, and a dramatic biconical headdress rising in twin horn-like volumes, its surfaces ribbed with hatching. She wears the ornaments of status and nothing else, large ring earspools, a fringed collar necklace, and perhaps a low belt marking the hips. Fine incised lines rake across her chest and abdomen, likely denoting tattooing or ceremonial scarification. Figures of this type, hand-built and appliqued, were probably fertility or ancestral effigies, buried as offerings to accompany the dead and affirm the continuity of life. Size: 3.2" W x 7.1" H (8.1 cm W x 18.0 cm H); on included custom stand: 3.2" W x 7.4" H (8.1 cm W x 18.8 cm H).

The bodily markings on figures like this one reward attention. Incised or punctate lines across the chest and torso are widely read as tattooing or scarification, a permanent language of identity, lineage, and beauty rendered on the skin and then translated into clay. Combined with earspools, collar, and elaborate coiffure or headdress, the figure presents an idealized image of adornment rather than mere nudity, the body dressed in status even when unclothed.

Provenance: ex-David Zahler collection, acquired between 1975 to 2004

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Item # 203759

  • Condition: Head has been professionally reattached with restoration over break lines. Proper right hand has also been restored. Small chip to left shoulder. Light surface wear commensurate with age. Otherwise, nice presentation 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