Featured Could anyone ID this stone figure please?

Any thoughts/ideas would be helpful about the cultural alignment and timeframe. My guess is this is certainly not a Buddha/Jain artifact, may be somewhat related to pre-columbian/Native American but I would want to hear experts comments here please.

 

Sorry, I don't know but it reminds me of a mayan bookend.

 

Thanks, that helps! I took your reference and just casually searched online and it looks like this is pretty similar to Mayan bookends which were made in Mexico by Michael Anthony Zarebski who was a Polish artist, scientist and inventor lived in Mexico and was heavily influenced by Aztec and Mayan cultures. He used ground Malachite stone mixed with resin, to create his Mexican folk art. Even though far from being original/ancient, but at least I gained some knowledge on this, so thanks for sharing your thoughts!

 

Surely you don't mean those mass-produced 'Creaciones Zarebski' souvenirs? They weren't influenced by Maya and Aztec, they were copies of pre-Columbian museum and archaeological sites pieces executed in a malachite-etc mix. I had several of them as a teen, they were very cheap back in the early 70s. They were never folk art.

Your hand carved figure bears no resemblance to those souvenirs at all imo. It is an authentic handmade item. The thing is to figure out its origin, but looking at Mexican souvenirs is not going to get you there I'm afraid.

 

I think a reproduction of a medieval church carving more likely. Something along the lines of these.

Debora

 

It is a winged figure holding a cup (chalice?). I wonder if it should be tilted, like the roof or ceiling angels you see in Gothic churches:

 

Yes. A corbel.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corbel

Debora

 

Since you're here, @Debora , I keep getting a Spanish Visigoth replica vibe, with the folds in the clothing and the stylized hair, does that make sense at all?


https://www.wga.hu/html_m/zearly/2/1sculptu/architec/vinas4.html

 

I'm afraid I'm not knowledgable enough to opine. But I would agree earlier rather than later in Medieval period.

Debora

 

The style of the wings, swept up and curled at the tips, looks Greek/eastern.

https://www.liveauctioneers.com/en-gb/item/63578408_greek-hellenistic-terracotta-sphinx-tl-tested

 

Another one of my considerations was Hellenistic Syria/Persia, that general direction. But the way the garment is draped, and the folds, have a Visigoth/pre-Romanesque look.
I did look for photos of Hellenistic-Persian carved wings, but could only find those straight Zoroastrian wings. Not that I looked long.

 

Sure, but I'm afraid, I can't show you the bottom picture of this as this is not mine yet but something which took my attention for the intention of buying. Here is the back side picture. By the way, thanks everyone for your valuable comments so far.

 

It's most likely to be a little souvenir from somewhere. But where? Dunno.

Debora

 

What does the seller say about it?

 

As per the seller it's an ancient Mayan stone statue sculpture dated 750 BC which I'm sceptical to believe.

 

And rightly so, this bears no relation at all to pre-Classic Maya, which is the period around 750 BC.
At the time the Maya were already developing the style we recognize as distinctly Maya, with beautifully carved heads which conform with the Maya ideal of an oval face with an aquiline nose. The round head with rather flat face in the seller's carving are very different.
The clothing would be a decorated loin cloth, sometimes a decorated cape as well. The bodies are covered in jewellery, which also covers the shoulder part of the cape. They usually wear an elaborate crown or have their hair tied up on top of the head.
On the seller's carving the draped garment which covers the entire body and fits close around the neck has nothing to do with pre-Classic or even Classic Maya clothing. The hairstyle of the figure would probably have been regarded as highly uncivilized by the pre-Classic Maya.

These are pre-Classic Maya:



https://www.ancient.eu/article/1218/interview-preclassic-maya/

It is probably a replica of something in Europe or Western Asia. It has nothing to do with Maya culture. If you like it and it is cheap, go ahead and buy it.
But if you want a genuine Maya piece, don't buy.

 

Yes absolutely! Thanks for the suggestions and that's exactly what I would have deceided. I would rather prefer to keep my racks empty than buying cheap reproductions, specially when known/our gut feelings say so.

BTW, in next couple of days I would share one of my real "precious" collections which is genuine and very rare from my ancient near east collections. I am exited to get your feedbacks and pretty positive that you guys would love it . Thanks so much!

 

I’m not an antiques expert, but I am an architect. This looks like it could have been mounted as an architectural detail on a church or mausoleum or other religious building at some point.