Zemi

Taíno religion, as recorded by late 15th and 16th century Spaniards, centered on a supreme creator god and a fertility goddess.

[4] During these consultation ceremonies, images of the zemi could be painted or tattooed on the body of a priest, who was known as a Bohuti or Buhuithu.

Very small ceramic three-point zemis have been uncovered by archaeologists in the Lesser Antilles, as well as Colombia and Venezuela, dating back to 200 BCE.

[6] Zemis are sculpted from a wide variety of materials, including bone, clay, wood, shell, sandstone, and stone.

[1] They are found in Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and other Caribbean islands.

The belt dates from circa 1530 and is made of cotton, white and red snail shells, black seeds, pearls, glass, and obsidian.