$115.00
Shipping calculated at checkout.
Late 20th Century
7" H
Hand Carved Cottonwood Root
Excellent Condition
Earl Arthur (Hopi, active since the 1990s) is celebrated for his precise, sincere carvings that honor tradition without commercialization. Based in the Hopi mesas of Arizona, his work avoids "glitzy" embellishments, focusing on spiritual fidelity. Earl Arthur is a highly respected contemporary Hopi carver known for his reverent, detailed, and understated style. His understated details, like delicate featherwork and balanced proportions, make his dolls feel alive. He carves rare subjects, blending reverence with subtle humor.
In the Hopi culture indigenous to the American southwest, Tsil is the Chili Pepper Kachina, one of many supernatural spirits represented by masked doll-like figurines and impersonated by ceremonial dancers. Tsil is one of the runner Kachinas. When he overtakes you in a race, he may stuff your mouth with hot chili peppers. A kachina (/kəˈtʃiːnə/; also katchina, katcina, or katsina; Hopi: katsina [kaˈtsʲina], plural katsinim [kaˈtsʲinim]) is a spirit being in the religious beliefs of the Pueblo peoples, Native American cultures located in the south-western part of the United States. Dolls are carved traditionally as teaching tools for the children as Oral Traditions as facilitated with the dolls. Each doll has a story associated, sometimes historical events, sometimes the physical world and sometimes the mystical. In the Pueblo cultures, kachina rites are practiced by the Hopi, Zuni, Hopi-Tewa, and certain Keresan tribes, as well as in most Pueblo tribes in New Mexico.
Due to the fragile nature of kachina dolls, we do not guarantee they will not break during shipping. We do our best to pack them well, but due to their fragile nature and even with the best packing, small pieces can break. If you are purchasing kachina dolls, please keep this in mind.
