Lot 66
Pre-Columbian, Central America, Costa Rica, Nicoya, ca. 700 to 900 CE. A quietly arresting Nicoya greenstone pendant shaped as a figural celt, this sculpture carries the cool green of ancient stone and the solemn poise of a figure carved to inhabit both the human world and the realm of spirit. Its elongated body preserves the legacy of its earlier life as a celtiform tool, while the carver has coaxed from its upper half a stylized standing figure with a triangular face, incised eyes and mouth, and hands crossed neatly at the chest. The pendant is carved from a dense greenstone favored across Costa Rica for its toughness and luminous surface, its natural veining tracing pale arcs across the lower body like faint memories held in the material itself. The head rises in a bifurcated crest, a form characteristic of Nicoya jade and greenstone iconography, signaling social identity, ritual status, or perhaps the transformation of the human figure into a supernatural being. Size: 1.4" W x 4.5" H (3.6 cm x 11.4 cm); 4.8" H (12.2 cm) on included custom stand.
The small drilled perforations at the sides of the head suggest it was once worn, suspended as a pendant whose movement caught light across its polished planes.
Figural celts from the Nicoya region occupy a compelling space in Pre-Columbian art: part ceremonial object, part personal ornament, part invocation. They blend the shape of the celt - an implement of authority linked to agriculture, fertility, and rulership - with the presence of an ancestor or deity. Such pieces may have been worn by elite individuals as emblems of lineage and power, or placed as offerings that bridged the human world and the unseen.
Here, the restrained incisions, the folded arms, and the upward tilt of the head all contribute to a sense of quiet composure. Despite its age, the pendant still carries the intimate scale and tactile charm that made greenstone figures prized across Nicoya communities. It stands as a refined testament to Costa Rican artistry, where stone could be shaped into a vessel for identity, memory, and sacred connection.
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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#199147
- Condition: Repaired with break lines visible. Surface wear as shown. Nice remaining detail. Not recommended for wear due to previous repairs.
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