Taíno Zemi

Dublin Core

Title

Taíno Zemi

Subject

CULTURAL HERITAGE

Description

This small figurine is a Taíno Zemi. A Pre-Columbian artefact from the Taíno people who inhabited the Caribbean centuries before the arrival of the Europeans around 1492. They were wiped out by European colonialism. This figurine was an important aspect of their culture, representing their religious beliefs. The zemis were modelled after Taíno deities and the Taíno would communicate with them through the inhalation of a hallucinogenic substance called cohoba, which they placed on top of the figurine's small bowl above its head. This figurine is a replica. The original zemi was excavated in Jamaica, and now resides in the British Museum, though not on display.

Creator

Kristin Watkins

Date

Pre-Columbian

Language

English

Type

Physical Object

Identifier

6053

Extent

43cm x 15.6cm x 16cm

Spatial Coverage

current,13.0833626,-59.6023586;

Europeana

Europeana Data Provider

Barbados Museum and Historical Society

Europeana Type

TEXT

Physical Object Item Type Metadata

DescriptionEN

This small figurine is a Taíno Zemi. A Pre-Columbian artefact from the Taíno people who inhabited the Caribbean centuries before the arrival of the Europeans around 1492. They were wiped out by European colonialism. This figurine was an important aspect of their culture, representing their religious beliefs. The zemis were modelled after Taíno deities and the Taíno would communicate with them through the inhalation of a hallucinogenic substance called cohoba, which they placed on top of the figurine's small bowl above its head. This figurine is a replica. The original zemi was excavated in Jamaica, and now resides in the British Museum, though not on display.

Prim Media

476