Leogane and Mariani Amulets?

 

Whilst taking another look at Nicolson's book with its sketches of Amerindian antiquities of Saint Domingue, we noticed that one of the "fetishes" sketched back in the 18th century bears a remarkable resemblance to a figure found in Mariani and photographed in the 20th century. Identified as an amulet in L'art précolombien d'Haiti, the frog-like position of the legs and arms and the pronounced sexual themes suggest the piece may have been associated with fertility. If it really was an amulet or charm made of stone and worn by the user, perhaps it was meant to promote fertility and childbirth? 

The fact that very similar objects made of stone found in Leogane parish during the 1700s and Mariani centuries later points to this object's form having a recognizable meaning in the lands encompassed by the Xaragua chiefdom. Although we are still unsure  exactly what it is, it appears to combine symbols of fertility with a human and frog-like position. This recurring symbolism of the frog seems to be consistent with indigenous Caribbean art since the Saladoid cultures of ancient Puerto Rico. One can also note the similarities between these two pieces and some of the depictions of sitting or crouching women in petroglyphs at sites like Caguana.