Description:

Pre-Columbian, Mexico City region, Aztec, ca. 1300 to 1500 CE. A beautiful group of 27 decorated baked clay spindle whorls, "malacates" as they are known in both Spanish and Nahuatl. They range from dark grey to tawny beige to dark red, with several decorated with incised lines or stippled dots. Aztec spindle whorls are found decorated only about 20% of the time, making these rare. These perforated disks were used in the production of spun fiber, and are the most common evidence for the production of textiles in pre-Columbian Latin America. They were made by women, who also created the textiles in this society. Size of largest: 1.25" W (3.2 cm); length of necklace: 30" (76.2 cm)

Provenance: private collection, Ventura County, California, USA

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#125045

  • Condition: All have light surface wear; some small chips from surfaces. Modern stringing.

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November 21, 2017 7:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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