Ecuador, Valdivia culture, later early or middle stage. Dainty Venus figurine, crudely carved female figure with ...

Ecuador, Valdivia culture, later early or middle stage. Dainty Venus figurine, crudely carved female figure with oversized bosom, the arms folded in the typical gesture on the abdomen. Simple stylized face made of three fine lines for eyes and mouth, left side bundled coiffure with long hair strands at the back. Classic representation of this fertility symbol, one of the central elements of Valdivian culture. Condition: broken in antiquity (probably intentionally, related to ritual or religious function), as in most of this type of object. Loss of the lower legs. Overall surface wear consistent with age. Mounted on small wooden pedestal with metal pin , fire clay. H. 4.7 cm, ca. 3500-2500 B.C.,vwith thermoluminescence certificate from the Landesmuseum, Zurich, Mr. Vaute, no date, ca. 1985.
Provenance: Collection August Maurer before 1986, Auction Vogler 2015, Private collection Germany.
Reference: "Seeing with New Eyes," by Dr. Rebecca Stone-Miller, University of Washington Press, 2002, or "Little People of the Earth - Ceramic figures from Ancient America" by Gillett G. Griffin, Denver Art Museum, 1990, for comparable examples and scholarly information.