Lot 106
Pre-Columbian, South America, Ecuador, Valdivian, Earliest Horizon, ca. 2300 to 2000 BCE. A hand carved, light grey limestone circular palette of a stylized curved form with boldly cut lines delineating a pair of arrows, the composition interestingly similar to a yin-yang symbol. A very rare find, from the Valdivia culture which existed from approximately 3500 to 1800 BCE - only about 1700 years in total! Custom stand. Size: 11" W x 10.75" H (27.9 cm x 27.3 cm); 12.625" H (32.1 cm) with stand
The ancient Valdivia culture of Ecuador was initially discovered by archaeologist Emilio Estrada in 1956, fairly recently in historic terms, and it is regarded as one of the oldest cultures of the ancient Americas. Interestingly, this culture still poses a bit of a mystery to scholars as no finite end to this culture has been identified yet; what's more, no sign of a cultural migration has surfaced. Most plausible is that the population somehow dwindled inspiring members of the communities to leave their settlements in search of opportunities elsewhere.
Ancient stone steles from Ecuador like this example are the oldest stone sculptures known to exist in the Americas, dating as far back as 3500 BCE. Certainly each stele is unique; however, they do share a few common characteristics. They are usually carved from a pearly grey colored stone and are for the most part "blockish" in form, though this example shows rounded contours. The four most prominent themes include the owl, the serpent/arrow, the sun chart, and the star chart.
Provenance: Ex-Private AZ collection
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#118805
- Condition: Normal surface wear with old scratches and nicks, and encrustation. Nice mineral deposits as well as burnishing and root marks.
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