zemis

Zemis are carved or crafted sacred objects representing deities, spirits, or ancestral powers in Taíno and related Caribbean cultures. The term zemí (plural zemis) comes from the Taíno language and is used by scholars to refer both to the divine force and to the physical objects believed to embody it.

Construction and forms: Zemis were made in various materials, including stone, wood, ceramic, bone, or shell. They range from simple amulets to more elaborate effigies and can be anthropomorphic heads with headdresses, zoomorphic figures such as birds or turtles, or abstract geometric shapes. Some were hollow or served as reliquaries for ceremonial offerings.

Function and use: Zemis functioned as focal points for ritual activity and as protectors of households, communities, or crops. They were believed to house or channel spiritual power and were associated with healing, fertility, weather, or success in hunting and agriculture. Offerings such as food, cacao, shells, and textiles or gold items might accompany zemis at shrines or altars. In daily life, smaller zemis could be kept in homes, while larger or more important ones were placed in dedicated sacred spaces.

Cultural context and scholarship: Zemis appear across Taíno communities in the Greater Antilles, including Hispaniola and Puerto Rico, with regional variations in style and function. Early colonial accounts describe zemis in the context of Taíno religion. In modern scholarship, zemis are studied as material manifestations of belief and social organization, with attention to how interpretive frameworks reflect both indigenous perspectives and colonial histories.