Exceptional Artifact & Collectible Auction
Lot 132:
Pre-Columbian Pottery 5 1/4" Mouse Rattle Figure.
Pre-Columbian pottery effigy figure measuring 5 1/4 inches tall, modeled in the form of a small animal, likely a mouse or similar creature. The figure is hand formed from reddish brown terracotta and displays expressive sculptural details, including a rounded body, upright ears, and a boldly modeled face with prominent teeth. The posture, with one paw raised and the other resting against the body, gives the piece a lively and animated presence.
The hollow body contains small pebbles or ceramic pellets that produce sound when shaken, identifying the piece as a rattle. Rattle figures of this type were used throughout ancient Mesoamerica in a variety of contexts, ranging from ceremonial performance to domestic ritual and even as children’s toys. Their simple, charming forms often carried deeper symbolic meaning within the cultural and spiritual world of the communities that produced them.
The surface shows age appropriate wear, mineral deposits, and firing characteristics consistent with ancient hand built pottery. A well preserved and engaging example of Pre-Columbian figural ceramic art.
Condition: Authentic
Share this lot:
