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Carved from a pale cream stone, this sculpture
represents a Taino zemi- the physical
manifestation of a god, spirit or ancestor. The
Taino were polytheistic and worshipped a creator
deity, Yucahu Maorocoti, and a fertility goddess
called Attabeira. Beneath these supreme deities
were a host of lesser gods, including former
Taino chieftains (caciques) and shamans that had
been deified after their deaths. Ancestor worship
was a central part of the Taino religious system
and helped to bolster the political and moral
authority of the chieftains. According to Spanish
chroniclers, the bones of high status individuals
were carefully stored in wooden urns or hung
from the rafters of houses. This belief in the
talismanic qualities of skeletal remains may
explain the emaciated, skeletal appearance of
zemi sculptures. Stone examples such as this
one would have belonged to the chieftain or a
high status member of his retinue. Although
their precise function is unknown, the Spanish
certainly believed that they were connected to
fertility rites. Equally convincing is the argument
that they played a role in cohoba ceremonies.
These were conducted by shamans, who
communicated with the souls of the deceased
under the influence of the hallucinogenic
cohoba. Surviving mortars, pestles and other
ceremonial items all seem to be connected with
this ritual. The distinctive crouching position of
this figure, confirms the connection because it
reflects the same position adopted by shamans
during their trance.
The figure crouches on a round pedestal, with
his knees raised towards the chest and his feet
facing inwards. The arms are bent at the elbow,
and the hands tightly grasp the lower legs. The
zemi is naked except for elaborate incised
adornments around the upper arms. The joints
are indicated by deeply carved roundels and the
back of the head is incised with complex
geometric motifs. These may reflect the pattern
of the textiles or tattoos worn by the Taino elite
and they are also thought to hold a cosmological
significance. The facial features are striking with
deeply carved sunken orbits and a wide
protruding jaw. There has been some damage to
the stone, especially across the upper chest, but
this may well reflect its usage during the Taino
heyday (c.1200-1500). In addition to its historic
significance, this piece strikes us with its bold
carving and abstract qualities. (AM)
- (BF.048)
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