This stone sculpture represents a zemi, a
religious sculpture understood as being an object
of concentrated power with the ability to affect
its owner both positively and negatively in
regards to productivity and fertility as well as in
the political and social realms. Such sculptures
were depictions of an ancestor or deity and were
kept in sacred areas separated from the houses
of their owners.
The figure kneels on a short pedestal with
his feet tucked beneath him while his hands are
bent at the elbow and held above the knees as if
in supplication. The naked and emaciated
skeletal appearance is further emphasized
through its large sunken orbits for eyes and wide
protruding jaw. This remarkable sculpture
reveals the skill and inventiveness of theTaino
craftsmen as well as their exceptional beliefs in
the connection between the acts of this life and
the next.