The creative use of positive and negative space, combined with highly skilled craftsmanship, makes this carved long bone an extraordinary work of Pre-Columbian art. The artist has imaginatively carved the figure of a monkey on the surface of the bone, the primate’s stylized body wrapping around the curved bone in a highly ingenious manner. The slightly pointed contour of the bone exaggerates the dramatic face of the monkey, as we experience his incredibly wide-eyed, toothy expression. As our eyes glance downward to view the monkey’s outstretched arms, we notice the space between the monkey’s legs. When we turn the bone upside down, this negative space magically becomes the head and body of a fish, complete with beady eyes and a large, snarling tooth filled mouth. How extraordinary indeed, is the creative expression of the Ecuadorian artist who crafted this ordinary animal bone into a sophisticated work of art.