304 - Figure of a priest. Jama-Coaque culture, Ecuador, 2nd century B.C.–2nd century A.D.

Figure of a priest. Jama-Coaque culture, Ecuador, 2nd century B.C.–2nd century A.D. Terracotta. Measurements: 9.5 x 10 x 2 cm. Provenance: Family legacy of Ramon Martí Alsina and Ricard Martí Aguiló. Archaeological collection formed from the 1950s by successive generations of the family, through acquisitions in European galleries and auction houses. The Jama-Coaque culture developed in the San Isidro area and in the northern part of the province of Manabí, in Ecuador. Through direct trade links with other cultures in Central America and Mexico, its cultural and religious center was located at the ceremonial site of San Isidro, where one or more temples were built atop a large pyramid, surrounded by an extensive settlement. Pottery was the Jama-Coaque’s primary artistic medium, and they developed a highly ornamented and distinctly figurative style. Their rich and varied ceramic figurines and figurative vessels fall within a common style known as the Chone type.