Beautiful Mole

Can a mole be beautiful?  We think this one is.  It was in the collection of the owner of Gathering Tribes for years and she is ready for it to find a new home.  It was carved by Zuni carver, Alex Tsethlikai, from a striking piece of dolomite, along with Picasso marble, jet, and turquoise.  We love how the tail wraps over its back.  The nose, mouth, and feet are detailed.  It is very different from the moles Alex is currently carving.  Alex's mark is engraved on the bottom.

Size: 1" H x 3" L x 1.125" W

Moles are mainly underground creatures.  They hold a special place for many Native Americans as guardians of Mother Earth.  Some of them can barely see, yet they navigate their way through the dark earth with great skill.  Currently seen by many people as pests, they have the important role of keeping the underground aerated and lived undisturbed for hundreds of thousands of years before humans arrived.

Traditionally, Zuni carvings are symbolically fed cornmeal.   Each Zuni fetish comes in a box with a descriptive card and a tiny bit of corn meal to tide them over until they reach you.