Description:

Southwestern USA, Colorado, Anasazi/Ancestral Puebloans, ca. 1200 to 1300 CE. One of the beautiful shell artifacts found in the desert of the Southwest, demonstrating the wealth and trading power of this civilization at its height. This is a bracelet made by carefully grinding away a shell to form an ovoid ring. A turquoise mosaic pendant is set at its zenith in a thick, earthy red clay. The shades of the turquoise are complimented by the dark background of the clay. This bracelet was made from either Glyoymoris or Pectunculus shell, both of which are circular and convex, with thick walls. The convex stone would have been ground down on a grinding stone to achieve the desired thickness of bracelet; all surfaces were then smoothed using sandstone. Mosaic work was often done using shell because its slightly textured surface held the fixative material well. This graceful bracelet would have been worn by an elite member of this society, perhaps someone important at Chaco Canyon or Mesa Verde. Size: 3.3" W (8.4 cm)

Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection; ex-Butterfields, prior to 1990

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#150917

  • Condition: Intact and in beautiful condition with very light deposits on surface. Old collection labels on interior.

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January 16, 2020 8:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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