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This is an extremely powerful and impressive
example of Taino stone carving. It represents a
zemi figure- the physical manifestation of a
Taino god, spirit or ancestor. Flourishing in the
Caribbean c.1200-1500, the Taino developed a
highly sophisticated religious system. At the
apex of the Taino pantheon, were the gods who
controlled the weather and encouraged fertility.
Lesser deities included deceased Taino chieftains
(caciques) and other ancestors. The Spanish
colonists recorded that each chieftain had a
temple-like structure in which he stored his zemi
sculptures. Although many members of the
community would have owned small zemi
amulets, made of wood or shell, large-scale
stone sculptures such as this one were the
preserve of the Taino elite.
Seated in a ritual squatting position, the limbs of
this figure are unusually naturalistic. In similar
works the legs are often foreshortened, but here
they are depicted full-length, clutched tightly
against the chest. The feet are also carved in
high-relief, and face inwards on the round
pedestal. The shoulders are hunched and the
arms grasp the chins, with each finger clearly
delineated. Both the face and body are skeletal in
appearance, with the joints indicated by deeply
carved roundels. The detail on the reverse is
astounding, with circular incisions to represent
the spine and straight horizontal lines indicating
the ribcage. Unusually two very deep roundels
with notched lines around the perimeter, indicate
the top of the legs/buttocks.
A flat surface is formed by the small platform
above the head, the sides of which are lightly
incised with ‘s’ shaped coils. When viewed in
profile, it seems to represent some kind of
basket supported by the figure’s head and
shoulders. Many Taino stone sculptures had
some association with the use of cohoba. This
was a hallucinogenic powder ground from trees
native to the region. It was used by shamans to
induce to induce a trance-like state of mind in
which they would be able to communicate with
the souls of the dead. The small circular platform
on this piece may have been used as a grinding
surface or to support other implements
associated with this ritual. The quality of the
carving and the boldness of the design mark this
work out as a true masterpiece. (AM)
- (FF.044)
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