Valdivia Culture
Valdivia Owl Figure, circa 2200 BC
Limestone
35 × 16 cm / 13 3/4 × 6 1/4 in
VAL0011
Copyright of Paul Hughes Fine Arts
Further images
This Valdivian Stone sculptures are among the oldest of artefacts found in the Americas. This fine example is so in tune with our modern sensibilities with it's timeless minimalist abstract...
This Valdivian Stone sculptures are among the oldest of artefacts found in the Americas. This fine example is so in tune with our modern sensibilities with it's timeless minimalist abstract aesthetic despite the fact that it is over 4,000 years old. The owl was widely symbolic in the pre-Columbian world. Owls were considered Shamanic, guiding humans on their journeys to other worlds, the divine, and death. In some cultures, an anthropomorphic owl represented a warrior or war god. As a nocturnal bird of prey, the owl was also associated with night hunters, seeing in darkness and the Underworld of the spirit.
Exhibitions
Continuities, 2000 Years of Female Art in South America, Sala Brazil, London, 2023.Back to the Future, Paul Hughes Fine Arts, London, 2023.
The Seven Stars Are Always Together, Paul Hughes Fine Arts, Maiden Bradley, 2025.
