Lot 50b, Auction 4/12/2026: Rare Mesoamerican Xochipala Pink Alabaster Bowl

$1,040.00

In stock

Pre-Columbian, Southwest Mexico, Xochipala region, Classic to Postclassic era, ca. 200 to 1400 CE. A rare semi-translucent gypsum (alabaster) bowl in a soft pale pink hue, its thin rounded walls and gently curved profile allowing light to diffuse through the stone when backlit. The luminous material and color suggest ceremonial or high-status use rather than utilitarian function. Such bowls were produced by hollowing a solid gypsum nodule through pecking, abrasion, and prolonged grinding with stone tools and water until the interior achieved its smooth, even contour. The Xochipala region, located in present-day Guerrero, is renowned for its early lapidary and sculptural traditions, reflecting a long continuity of stone-working skill that influenced later cultures across southwest Mexico. Size: 2.3″ Diameter x 1.25″ H (5.8 cm x 3.2 cm)

Condition: Choice. Minor nicks to rim and abrasions to base. Natural interior striations to the stone. Proposed culture and findsite written on the surface of base.

Provenance: private southwestern Pennsylvania, USA collection, acquired prior to 2000

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