Description:

Pre-Columbian, Ecuador, Valdivian, ca. 1800 to 1500 BCE. A fine hand axe created from a pale sage-green stone with dark-green inclusions. The stocky handle has a pair of projecting corners and tapers inward to form a thick, lightly-convex blade face with a rounded edge. The body of the hand axe is well-shaped, demonstrating the skill of the artisans who put countless hours into making it using limited technology. Hand axes of this form have been found as part of the Kotosh Religious tradition, a name that archaeologists have given to ritual buildings built between 3000 and 1500 BCE in the mountain drainages of the high Andes. Hand axes like this one, although shaped like a real tool, were made specifically for ritual purposes and symbolized the power of their bearer, often following into the grave. Size: 4.9" W x 5.25" H (12.4 cm x 13.3 cm).

Provenance: private California, USA collection, acquired in 2004; ex-private Gill family collection, Pebble Beach, California, USA, acquired in 1980; ex-Colonel William R. Cameron (Ret.) collection, California, USA, acquired in 1965 to 1968

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#145150

  • Condition: Minor abrasions and nicks to handle and blade face, with light label adhesive residue along both sides, otherwise intact and very good.

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April 25, 2019 7:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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$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