The harelipped king: a pre-Colombian ceramic statue over 2000 years old

Abstract

In several countries in South American such as Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, many ceramics have been found which illustrate aspects of human anatomy, physiology and pathology that had been noticed and masterfully reproduced by the potter. A statuette in my private collection of pre-Colombian ceramics is approximately 2000 years old and belongs to the era of the Bahia culture. It depicts an important personage, possibly a political, social or religious leader, with a cleft lip and palate.