Description:

Pre-Columbian, Southern Mexico to Guatemala / Guerrero region, late Olmec to Proto Maya / Mezcala culture, ca. 550 to 300 BCE. A dazzling omphacite jade pendant in the form of a head boasting prominent Olmecoid and Guerrero Mezcala features. String-cut to present minimalist characteristics, the abstract visage displays a towering forehead (suggestive of skull modification), a narrow brow, slit-form eyes, a triangular nose, and closed lips flanked by prominent nasolabial folds. A suspension hole is laterally drilled across the brow, sitting just above each ear. The value of jade for ancient people lay in its symbolic power: perhaps its color was associated with water and vegetation; later, the Maya would place jade beads in the mouths of the dead. Many scholars have argued that the demand for jadeite contributed to the rise of long-distance trading networks and to the rise of urban centers in ancient Mesoamerica. This would have been an exceedingly valuable and rare omphacite pendant. Size: 0.7" W x 1.3" H (1.8 cm x 3.3 cm)

Provenance: ex-Long Beach, California, USA collection, acquired over 25 years from various major galleries.

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#124334

  • Condition: Some chipping to peripheries with softening of detail commensurate with age, but otherwise, intact and excellent with a clear form. Wearable as a pendant.

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June 22, 2023 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000