Description:

Pre-Columbian, North Coast Peru, Chavin, ca. 900 to 500 BCE. A finely preserved stone mace head formed from dense stone of a dark-brown hue. The cylindrical body has a slightly flared bottom rim, a tall socketing shaft, a raised upper rim, and eight hemispherical bulbs protruding from the shoulder. Significantly, the Chavin culture does not seem to have been warlike, and their cultural expansion across the landscape was not violent - at least as far as archaeologists can find - until the very end of the period, when maces like this example suddenly become evident. Was this an actual weapon used in war, or was this a status symbol made to be put into a grave? Many mysteries about this early culture remain, but what is clear is their propensity for skilled lapidary artistry. Size: 4.1" W x 3" H (10.4 cm x 7.6 cm).

Provenance: private southwestern Pennsylvania, USA collection

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#150154

  • Condition: Minor nicks and abrasions to socketing shaft and protruding bulbs, with light encrustations, otherwise intact and very good. Smooth surfaces and fine patina throughout.

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October 3, 2019 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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