Description:

Pre-Columbian, Costa Rica, Guanacaste / Nicoya region, ca. 200 to 600 CE. A captivating Costa Rican figural celt, meticulously hand-carved from a lustrous light green jadeite. Carved in an elongated form, it presents a highly stylized figure with a frog-like body, featuring legs and arms rendered in relief. Adorned with a multi-banded headdress, the figure suggests an elevated status or divine association. Its visage includes prominent, deeply incised eyes, a broad nose, and a slightly open mouth. Highlighting its natural variations in hue, the smooth, polished surface of the green stone is remarkable. More than mere functional tools, such "axe gods" were powerful ceremonial objects, embodying deities, revered ancestors, or potent shamans. Green stones were highly prized throughout ancient Mesoamerica and Central America, symbolizing life, fertility, and spiritual connection. As a significant emblem of authority, this exquisite example would have served as a focus for ritual practice. Size: 2.5" W x 7" H (6.4 cm x 17.8 cm); 8" H (20.3 cm) on included custom stand.

Provenance: Collection of Y. Kayvan, Los Angeles, California, USA, acquired from a Los Angeles, California, USA gallery acquisition dates range from the late 1990s to 2005

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#195484

  • Condition: Old collection label on reverse, minute chips at suspension hole edges else near-choice.

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October 17, 2025 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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$300 $999 $50
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$5,000 $9,999 $500
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$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
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