Lot 49
NAYARIT FIGURE
MEXICO, 100 B.C. - 200 A.D.
Auction: 28 May 2026 from 13:00 BST
Description
terracotta and pigment, in the form of a crouching man, his arms held to the knees, his exposed ribs indicating an emaciated state
Dimensions
14cm tall
Provenance
Private collection, Moray, Scotland, acquired c. 1980s - 1990s
Footnote
The pronounced ribs and wide, staring eyes of this sombre figure may reflect the physical effects of a ritual fast rather than simple starvation. In many ceremonial contexts, fasting was undertaken deliberately as a form of purification, preparing the individual for participation in sacred rites. Such abstention from food could also heighten states of sensory deprivation, which were sometimes believed to facilitate communication with the supernatural or encourage visionary experiences.