Description:

Pre-Columbian, Costa Rica, Guanacaste / Nicoya region, ca. 200 to 600 CE. A gorgeous carved jadeite pendant of a dark and lustrous green hue, string cut with zoomorphic features. Stylized feet and claws as well as attenuated legs and feet are carved into the obverse face on both ends. A suspension hole is drilled though the leg end, and a second suspension hole is drilled laterally between both sets of feet. The rest of the surface is highly polished, and the stone glows when backlit, attesting to the sheerness of the material and skill of the artisan. The reptilian limbs may be symbolic of a crocodile; caimans and crocodiles are both found in Costa Rican rivers and coastal areas- seen as primordial predatory beings that represented strength and fertility. A jadeite pendant such as this would have been a prized item of rank or prestige. Size: 3.65" L x 1.25" W (9.3 cm x 3.2 cm)

Provenance: private Atlanta, Georgia, USA collection

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#172592

  • Condition: Minor surface abrasions, otherwise intact and excellent. Light mineral deposits in drilled suspension holes.

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August 11, 2022 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
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