#60 • Pre-Contact North American Anthropomorphic Stone Stylized Human Face Effigy

Part of June 2026 Premier Auction (live auction by Alaska Premier Auctions & Appraisals)

High bid $1,800.00

Status: Sold

Category: Antiques

A remarkable pre-contact carved stone anthropomorphic effigy of substantial size, executed from a dense dark volcanic stone and depicting a highly stylized human visage with prominent brow ridges, deeply recessed circular eyes, broad nose ridge, and understated mouth. The sculptural treatment is boldly minimalist, relying on powerful form and subtle relief to create an unmistakably expressive human presence. The surface exhibits extensive age-related weathering and a deep archaeological patina developed over centuries, with softened contours and worn high points consistent with prolonged handling and antiquity. The reverse is fully pecked and carefully ground into a finished convex surface, demonstrating that the object was conceived as a complete sculpture rather than a simple relief carving. The balanced proportions and restrained execution reflect an accomplished understanding of both material and form, resulting in an object of exceptional visual strength. Large anthropomorphic stone carvings rank among the rarest surviving forms of pre-contact North American sculpture. Comparable examples attributed to the Columbia Plateau and Lower Columbia River region are represented in important museum and institutional collections, where they are valued for their powerful abstraction, ceremonial significance, and extraordinary scarcity. The present example possesses a remarkable sculptural quality, reducing the human face to its essential forms while maintaining an undeniable sense of presence that resonates with both ancient indigenous art and modernist aesthetics. Displaying outstanding age, surface preservation, and tactile quality, this is an exceptionally scarce and visually compelling example of pre-contact North American stone sculpture, distinguished by its substantial size, carefully finished reverse, and commanding monumental form. Measures approximately 7" x 2" x 4.625" wide.