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Sacrificer
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
Holding an axe in one hand, a human head in the other, this figurine depicts a ritual sacrificer. His fierce mask probably portrays either a puma or a fox. Incised patterns on the figure's body and headdress indicate elaborate tapestry garments. The ancient rituals embodied by this small carving must have been both visually spectacular and emotionally powerful.
Cleveland Museum of Art’s own descriptionCredit lineSacrificer, 400–1000. Bolivia, Peru or Chile, Southern Highlands, early Tiwanaku style, 400-1000. Carved bone; overall: 5.1 cm (2 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, John L. Severance Fund, 1996.293
