Small Primitive Catholic Cuban Altar

Has anyone seen anything like this before or have any ideas about it.

Perhaps the strangest thing about it is the rock that is encased in its own chamber.

It is 7 inches high by 2.5 inches at the base.

 

Maybe depicting Our Lady Of Charity.

 

A Folk Art "Religious Relic" ?

 

What do you think the rock is?

 

A piece of Schist sprinkled with glitter.

 

You can say that in the face of such a majestic object?

 

I would have guessed at pyrite but schist it could be. Let me see what I can find.

 

Altar not alter

 

What does it say on the back? As above, she's Our Lady of Charity, also called Our Lady of Copper. Cobre means copper and she's the patron saint of copper miners so I expect the rock is copper. It's a poor thing but Cuba was closed to imports (except from Russia) for decades. Typical of the kind of things produced in a Communist country without resources.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_Charity

Debora

 

This is also a household shrine, but a grander version. Seller identifies the "glitter" as pyrite.

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/folkart-shrine-lady-charity-patroness-430310129

Debora

 

The OP's does have gold glitter,you can see where glue and glitter dripped off the top and landed on the wood base under the rock.

 

If you post a good quality photograph of the back, we can translate it. All I can see is something about "... Jesus our lord you will be saved."

Debora

 

Maybe someone brought the stone back from a religious site in Cuba????

 

She's in the Basilica in El Cobre. I would certainly think acquired there.

Debora

 

Does anyone have a Worthpoint account and can tell me the price?

 

It's a regular event here.

 

There are a few members who have Worthpoint accounts here and they are typically very generous about sharing information.

Debora

 

Are we allowed to sell Cuban items like this on eBay?

Note: I just checked and they said yes but maybe not exporting to some countries.

 

Just pulled this from eBay's web site. But there are a number of Cuba religious statues that have sold recently on eBay. Here's one, the same Virgin as yours.

Embargoed goods policy
Sellers can't list embargoed goods or pre-embargoed goods from these countries or regions:

• Cuba
• Crimea region of Ukraine (as defined under applicable sanctions)
• Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea)
• Iran
• Syria

https://www.ebay.com/itm/112981582917?hash=item1a4e3a2445:g:pZEAAOSwH~palgBy

Debora