Pre-Columbian, Panama, Cocle, Tonosi style, ca. 3rd to 4th century CE. A rare and brilliant example from the Gran Cocle Pre-Columbian kingdom of Central America! This bowl with a rounded bottom depicts a four-legged composite zoomorphic figure with long ears, a serpentine tongue, and a feathery crest - perhaps part snake, part bird, and part deer - painted in the phantasmic style that was the penchant of artists of the Cocle region in brilliant red and black hues against a cream ground. A striking example of ancient ceramics paying homage to a special animal! Size: 9.125" W (23.2 cm); 10.25" H (26 cm) on included custom stand. According to scholar Samuel Kirkland Lothrop, "The Gran Cocle culture is a Pre-Columbian archaeological culture that gets its name from the area from which it was based, the now present-day Cocle province of Panama. The Gran Cocle term applies to a loosely studied group of Native American sub-cultures in this region, identified by their pottery styles. The overall period spans a time from 150 B.C. to the end in the 16th century A.D. upon Spanish contact. The most ancient culture is the La Mula period from 150 B.C. to 300 A.D. The La Mula and later Monagrillo and Tonosi pottery styles are identified by their the use of three paint colors which were black, red and white (or cream). The later Cubita style saw the emergence of the use of four colors. The styles of Conte, Macaracas and Joaquin added purple to their palette and this hue ranged from grayish tones to red purple. The use of purple disappeared in the subsequent styles of Parita and El Altillo and the paint style reverted back to the use of three colors. Most notable in the artistic renderings are the overt use of geometric designs." (For more information, see Armand Labbe, "Guardians of The Life Stream: Shamans, Art and Power in Prehispanic Central Panama" - Bowers Museum of Cultural Art, University of Washington Press, 1995.) Provenance: ex-private Texas, USA collection, acquired at Heritage Auctions, Dallas, Texas All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #137100