Description:

Pre-Columbian, Colombia, Tairona culture, ca. 800 to 1200 CE. Finely carved from pale greenstone, perhaps steatite, this is a striking pendant known as a batwing pectoral. This is one of the more abstract and minimalist types that is elongated with rounded terminals and two piercings for suspension through the center, perhaps to also represent eyes. These suspension tabs are then flanked by the lengthy cylindrical "wings." Bat-wing pendants served a symbolic purpose and have been found in the regions spanning from southern Mexico to Venezuela as well as on some islands in the Caribbean, often found in caches of other stone artifacts buried under floors of houses and temples. The ancients of the Americas traditionally associated bats that swooped and darted in the night sky with rain and fertility, and green color of the stones also symbolized this fertility. Size: 9.375" L x 1" W (23.8 cm x 2.5 cm); 6.675" H (17 cm) on included custom stand.

Provenance: private New York, USA collection, purchased 1968 to 1969

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#165135

  • Condition: Two chips to peripheries and minor surface nicks and scratches. Otherwise very good and intact. Polished surface.

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July 1, 2021 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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