Galería

This tiny little bronze figure (he's no larger than my thumb) is known as an Ekkeko, or household deity in charge of keeping order and health in the family. I purchased him from a digger at the Tiahuanaco archaeological site, high in the altiplano, near the shores of Lake Titicaca, in Bolivia. The concave sections in his chest and hunch back probably held some semi-precious stone. He has a deeply lined face, full of expression that conveys age and experience. Hunchbacks are considered lucky in many parts of the world, and this fellow, despite his size, has a great deal of power. He was probably created about 2000 years ago.

Este pequeño figurín de bronce (es del tamaño de mi pulgar) se conoce como un Ekkeko, o deidad encargada de mantener el orden y la salud de la familia. Lo compré a un excavador en las ruinas arqueológicas de Tiahuanaco, en el altiplano boliviano, no lejos del Lago Titicaca. Los huecos en el pecho y la espalda probablemente sujetaban alguna piedra semipreciosa. La cara está marcada por expresivos surcos profundos, que evocan edad y experiencia. En muchas partes del mundo se considera que personas con joroba dan suerte, y este personaje, a pesar de su diminuto tamaño, tiene mucho poder. Fue creado aproximadamente hace 2000 años.