Chupícuaro, México, Terracota Cifra. 14,5 cm H. 500 aC - 200 dC.. Licencia de Exportación Española

Figure -nice piece-

Chupicuaro, Mexico, 500 BC - 200 AD.

Terracotta

14,5 cm height.

Provenance:
- Private collection, J. R. (1928 - 2013) Barcelona, formed since 1950 until 2000. Thence by descendent.

DOCUMENTS:
- Spanish Export License.

Condition: Intact, good condition, see photos.

This culture’s territory was located in what is now the far north of Mexico, in the area of the states of Jalisco, Nayarit, Colima, Guerrero, Michoacán, and particularly Guanajuato. The region comprises three types of natural landscape: plateaus, volcanic mountain ranges, and grasslands. The grasslands are semi-tropical while the other areas have a temperate climate.

The Chupícuaro produced polished ceramics decorated mainly with black and cream geometrical designs on a red background. The ceramic forms they made include bowls with conical bases, dishes, and some bottles with stirrup handles. Multicolored human figurines were also made and decorated with the same designs used on their dishes, with barely discernable facial features. The best known Chupícuaro female figurines are the “diagonal eyed” figures, which were occasionally painted in vivid colors but usually left unpainted and finely decorated with appliqués of clay and clay slip. These figures are mostly represented nude and with clearly female anatomy, but some pieces are wearing elaborate headdresses and clothing, and all sport unique hairstyles and body decorations. The figurines date from the last stage of the ancient tradition of female representations that began with the Tlatilco culture. The Chupícuaro also produced ceramic flutes, ocarinas, and earpieces, and used bone and seashell to make a wide variety of ornaments.

The Chupícuaro buried their dead in simple tombs that were 1.5-2 meters deep. The bodies were laid out on their backs and in no fixed orientation, although graves are often found around tecuiles or fire sites. Other earlier gravesites are marked with balls of rock. Abundant offerings are found near the graves, including ceramic items, figurines, and jade ornaments. In some cases, dogs were carefully buried alongside the deceased, perhaps in order to guide their owners to the next world. Urn burials ascribed to the Chupícuaro have also been found, as well as uncontextualized decapitated skulls, which has been interpreted as evidence of headhunting.


Notes:
- The piece includes authenticity certificate.
- The piece includes Spanish Export License (Passport for European Union). NOT TAXES.
- According to Spanish legislation, items sent outside the European Union are subject to export taxes and will be added to the invoice, at the buyer's expense. These export fees are fixed on the final auction price and the tax rate is not applied directly on the total value of the item to be exported, but rather the different percentages by sections are applied to it:
- Up to 6,000 euros: 5%.
- From 6,001 to 60,000 euros: 10%.
This export permit application process can take between 1-2 months maximum.
- The seller guarantees that he acquired this piece according to all national and international laws related to the ownership of cultural property. Provenance statement seen by Catawiki.