Votive or totem animals act as intermediaries. They’re spiritual guides, magical beings, familiars and friends who offer protection, lend power, and serve as aides. These special creatures have been helping human beings negotiate the complexities of the world since before the Ice Age. Painted on cave walls all over the world or carved out of wood, onxy, ivory or jade, or cast in bronze or copper, they’re some of the oldest art we’ve ever made. The animal treats are delightful imaginary animal forms who provide healing and protection. These stylized wonders aim to offer visual pleasure while the cultural meanings imbued in their forms and materials help us navigate day-to-day obstacles. Each animal form is created for its specific meaning as helpful companion. Their small size, rendered in lush attributes and materials, emphasizes the preciousness and deep history of animal-human friendship.