Trigonal Cemí: The Development, Significance, and Ritual Life of a Caribbean Icon

The trigonal cemí, or “three-pointer”, is the most iconic yet enigmatic of pre-Columbian Caribbean artefacts. Archaeological and ethnographic evidence indicates that these conical sculptures were of uniquely Antillean origin and part of a dynamic, adaptable denomination within the greater cemí belief system of the region. This art historical study catalogues the varied forms of the trigonal cemí and traces their development across the 1,500-year-long lifespan of an animist ritual tradition ...