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CA. A.D. 1000 - 1500
Details
TAINO BONE IMPLEMENT
CA. A.D. 1000 - 1500
the curved 'vomit stick' tapering on one end, boldly carved with the highly stylized head of an alligator (?) with large almond-shaped sunken eyes, attenuated snout shows off bared teeth, the nose carved with a smaller reptilian head, with incised symbolic motifs along the carved spatula.
Length 8 1/4 in. (21 cm.)
CA. A.D. 1000 - 1500
the curved 'vomit stick' tapering on one end, boldly carved with the highly stylized head of an alligator (?) with large almond-shaped sunken eyes, attenuated snout shows off bared teeth, the nose carved with a smaller reptilian head, with incised symbolic motifs along the carved spatula.
Length 8 1/4 in. (21 cm.)
Further details
Caciques [chiefs] took cohoba to communicate with zemies (spirits and ancestors); they acted as the primary intermediaries between people and the supernatural realm. Before ingesting such hallucinogenic mixtures, caciques and shamans fasted and purged themselves with vomiting spatulas of wood and bone in order to consume the "pure foods" of the spirits. Then, they inhaled their concoctions from small vessels and trays, using delicately carved snuffers of wood and bone.