RARE CERAMIC INCENSARIO WITH DOGS AND SNAKES

Colima, Western Mexico
Late Preclassic Period, circa 300 BCE – 100 CE
Height: 5"
Ceramic

DESCRIPTION

A rare and finely modeled Colima incensario, featuring a bulbous, perforated chamber surmounted by a coiled serpent and supported by a stylized canine base. Three-dimensional animal heads—dogs and serpents—project from the vessel’s spherical body, giving it a dynamic and symbolic presence. The chamber, pierced with circular vents, suggests its use in ritual incense burning, possibly within funerary or temple contexts.

The dog, a frequent subject in West Mexican sculpture, is believed to have been a psychopomp—a spiritual guide for the dead into the afterlife—while the serpent is often associated with fertility, transformation, and rebirth. The combined presence of both animals in this incensario may reflect themes of death, protection, and divine transition.

The surface bears mineral deposits and earthen encrustation, consistent with long-term burial. The work exhibits expressive craftsmanship, balanced proportions, and minimal surface losses.

Provenance: Provenance: Roy Pohler, Lafayette, acquired early to mid-1980s; Mike Rice, Esq., New Orleans, acquired 1998; Robert Lee collection., Ex. T. Birbiglia Collection, LA. 

Comparable example: Rufino Tamayo Museum of Pre-Hispanic Art, Oaxaca (see reference image)