Lot 112A
Pre-Columbian, Mayan Territories, ca. 500 to 950 CE. A sizeable pectoral skillfully carved from a beautiful jade stone presenting rich blue-green hues with mottled dark green and white inclusions. What makes this piece stand out is its iconography. On one side the sculptor depicted a deity emerging from a snail shell, perhaps God N / Bacab (Old God of earth and thunder, sky carrier); on the other, a seated bat with deep set eyes, an almost dewy nose, closed mouth, and rounded ears. To the ancients of the Americas, the nocturnal bat was as ominous as the owl and quite mysterious. A bat seeks constant darkness, navigating by sonar and feeding at night, seeking shady overhangs and caverns where it sleeps upside down during the day. A creature of the underworld, it swooped and darted in the Mesoamerican night sky, prompting the indigenous to live simultaneously in fear and awe of it. A special example with bilateral perforations to each side and a large central perforation for suspension or attachment. Size: 3.125" W (7.9 cm)
The Maya had a preference for apple-green jade; however this example is somewhat unusual as it boasts blue-green hues more akin to the jade works of earlier Olmec peoples. This said, the styling and iconography confirm that it is an example of Mayan visual culture. To the indigenous of the ancient Americas, jade was a stone that carried powerful symbolism. Jade ornaments were used in ceremonial rituals and as adornments for the elite. Jade was revered by the Maya not only for its beauty, but also because it had spiritual power; it was believed to be the embodiment of the wind and the "breath" that formed the Maya soul. In addition, scholars argue that its color was associated with water and vegetation. While the Maya used jade beads to create impressive jewelry, we also know that they placed jade beads in the mouths of the dead, perhaps as a means of extending the circle of life. Furthermore, many scholars have argued that the demand for jade contributed to the rise of long distance trading networks as well as the rise of urban centers in ancient Mesoamerica.
Provenance: ex-private Illinois, USA collection assembled pre-1970
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#128362
- Condition: Abraded surfaces to the lower area of the piece, possibly inherent to the original stone. Otherwise excellent and imagery is vivid.
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