Pig Effigy Mortar and Pestle - Mexican?

[HIMHAM]

Maybe someone can enlighten me to the approximate era and value of this piece. I have had several people look at this in the last few days. Everyone says it is definitely very old. I bought this at sale that had alot of alleged precolumbian artifacts and native american arrow heads ( I know this peice itself is probably not Pre Columbian). This was there also with the items marked "pre-columbian". I am pretty sure it is mexican and I know that similar stuff can still be bought today but I had two native american artifact collectors actually put it in their hands and said it is surley 2 -300 years old. I found this site and figured it would be the best place to figure it out.

 

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[MObushwhacker]

I believe it is a moder reproduction. As the swine (pig) is not a domestic animal

 

[surf]

Hello HIMHAM,

Welcome to Tnet. I also think this is a modern piece. I mean no disrespect, but the last time I saw one like it, it was filled with guacamole.

Evil Guacamole Pig​

 

[RGINN]

You're right it's not pre-Columbian. And it is a Mexican thing. Conquistadors brought pigs over to the Americas after Colombus, and natives did take note of those. These are molcajetes, used for grinding, kinda like a mortar and pestle. My wife has one that looks prehistoric but it was probably made about 10 years ago and I paid 10 bucks for it. You can find ones just like yours that are modern made and get one for around 30 bucks. It would depend a lot on the archeaological context in which it was found. I would almost believe that the molcajetes with the legs were a 19th early 20th century invention. Before that they would just use grinding basins.