Anthropomorphic Native American New Mexico Zuni Pueblo Sacred Stone Fetish Figure

Epoque: 1800-1900

Origine: New Mexico

Medium: polychrome, Stone

Dimension: 31 cm (12¹/₄ inches)

Provenance: Ex Private collection 
Ex European collection
Ex Finch and Co, item number 22, catalogue number 23, 2014
Ex Private collection 

Literature: Regarded by the Zuni as powerful and sacred, stone fetish images were kept by Pueblo families as personal spirit helpers. They were made as representations of the Zuni gods and were consulted for guidance in all-important matters.
Stewart Culin (1858-1929), a founder of the American Anthropological Association and collector of many South Western Native American artefacts now in the Brooklyn Museum, NY had a great interest in ritual stone objects. In 1904 he gave a lecture in which he noted the American Indian’s ‘constant and widespread use of stone in various mechanical arts. He displays the nicest discrimination in the selection of stone for different uses and in the quality and temper of material which he thus employs’ (1904b: 18)