Posted 13 years ago
hschaffer
(2 items)
I got this at a yard sale about 18 years ago. It was very interesting so I bought it. Out of respect to you and your viewers I put a piece of tape over a section of the figure...its detailed. I'm not sure what it is but I was told it may be aztec or mayan. It is a cat/man like figure, about 16 inches tall, it has cone like holes in its palms(paws), a tail that helps support it, some broken teeth(which are inside the figure). Just would like to know what it is? Is it old or new made to look old? Is there a price?
hmm well there is the Ai Apaec, Peruvian.
I can't seem to find anything quite like him. There is a good chance it's a lion, or the Wind Lion God.
Spotting these male Wind Lion gods is quite easy. They are the ones with overly exaggerated sexual organs. Sometimes they may be replaced by gourd bottles, but both are phallic symbols which represent fertility. It is customary for the people of Kinmen to worship the statue by touching its private parts, an action which is said to guarantee a baby boy.
As to age. I'm always stumped on items of my own like this.