Pre-Columbian, Brazil, Marajoara culture, ca. 800 to 1400 CE. A beautifully painted bowl whose interior depicts mask-like faces and insects. The exterior has an elaborate geometric and swirled motif that resembles a labyrinth. One edge of the bowl has a short, nub-like handle that gives the piece the appearance of a turtle with its head emerging from its shell when viewed from the underside. Based on ethnographic studies of twentieth century people from the same place, we believe that insects formed an important part of Marajoara diet, so this dish may have been used for serving them! The Marajoara - also known as the Marajo - flourished on Marajo Island, in the mouth of the Amazon River. They built impressive mounds and lived subsistence lifestyles while producing stylistically-unique, beautiful pottery like this. Size: 8.7" W x 9.75" H (22.1 cm x 24.8 cm); 12.75" H (32.4 cm) on included custom stand. Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection; ex-Eugene Lions collection, Geneva, Switzerland 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. #133774