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Excellent Pre-Columbian Roller Seal, Guangala, Ecuador browse these categories for related items... All Items: Antiques: Regional Art: Americas: South American: Implements: Pre AD 1000: item # 537732
Janus Antiquities By Appointment New Jersey (330) 612-3957 Guest Book $350 |
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This choice roller seal comes from the Guangala culture of northern Ecuador, likely from the Manteņo province. The Guangala were a primarily agricultural people, but like many cultural groups from Ecuador, they were expert navigators and practiced long-range trade with Central America. Their export staples were spondylus shells, cotton weavings, objects of gold, silver and copper, and obsidian mirrors. Accordingly, Ecuadorian art oftentimes feels more familiar to us than many of the products of other South American cultures because it was influenced by Central American iconography and motifs, with which we have had considerably more exposure.
The function of Pre-Columbian seals has long been a matter of debate. They were not used to stamp clay like Near Eastern seals. The lack of evidence in the archaeological record led various researchers to suggest that these seals could have been used for body painting, decorating ceramics, bark or textiles, or sculpting sand. However, Anthony Ortegon's study, "Pre-Columbian Stamp Seals," indicates with a fair amount of certainty that these seals were used to decorate food, specifically breads. His studies indicate that most stamp seals yield evidence of absorbed starches in laboratory testing, which would only occur if the seals were used regularly in the production of food. Although both flat and roller seals were used in food production, roller seals are far less common. Ortegon cites the ratio of flat to roller seals in museum collections as approximately 35:1. AGE: ca. 500-800 A.D. CONDITION: Intact and in great shape. DIMENSIONS: 2" tall (5.1 cm) |
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