Figure Seated on a Bench with Hands Held to Mouth by Unknown Artist - 300 BCE-800 CE - 44.5 x 20.9 x 24.8 cm The Walters Art Museum Figure Seated on a Bench with Hands Held to Mouth by Unknown Artist - 300 BCE-800 CE - 44.5 x 20.9 x 24.8 cm The Walters Art Museum

Figure Seated on a Bench with Hands Held to Mouth

Earthenware, paint • 44.5 x 20.9 x 24.8 cm

  • Unknown Artist Unknown Artist

    300 BCE-800 CE

Well, it's the first day of October. This ancient Ecuadorian figurine shows my attitude towards this month!

To commune with spiritual forces during rituals, shamans often don masks and elaborate headdresses. This man’s headdress—once vividly painted—takes the form of a fantastical creature, combining a bat’s face with the fangs of a jaguar, evoking some of South America’s most awe-inspiring animals.

Poised to inhale hallucinogens, he is about to enter a trance, seeking contact with animal spirits to serve as an intermediary for his community’s needs. The crocodile-like tail fastened to his belt may symbolize the belief that those with great spiritual power can transform into animals.

P.S. If you would like to enhance your mood today, check out our amazing DailyArt Calendars for 2026; it is full of beautiful masterpieces!

P.P.S. Are you interested in pre-Columbian art? Read about Double-Headed Serpent, a masterpiece of Aztec art.