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AuctionsA Lifetime of Discovery IILot 35

Lot 35Ethnographic & Tribal Art

Taíno Carved Black Stone Anthropomorphic Zemí Three-Pointer (Trigonolito), Greater Antilles

Estimate$2,000–$4,000

Offered in A Lifetime of Discovery II · Sunday, September 27, 2026, 1:00 PM Eastern

Carved from dense black stone and polished to a lustrous finish, this Taíno anthropomorphic trigonolito depicts a stylized zemí, a sacred ancestral or spiritual being. The sculpture features deeply recessed eyes, a broad mouth, finely incised geometric decoration, and the characteristic three-pointed form associated with Taíno ceremonial tradition.

Comparable anthropomorphic examples are held in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Smithsonian Institution.

Dimensions
5 in. high × 7 in. wide.
Provenance
Property from an important private collection, assembled by a dealer and collector over more than six decades.

Estimates are opinions of value, given as a guide.