Description:

Pre-Columbian, Southern Mexico to Guatemala, Maya, Late Classic Period, ca. 550 to 900 CE. A beautiful pendant, hand-carved from stunning apple-green omphacite jade, depicting a stylized figure in a seated pose. The individual presents with attenuated legs bent at the knees, arms crossed atop the chest above a wide loincloth, and a squat neckline. His oversized head features puffy eyes, a broad nose, full lips, and a mildly furrowed brow beneath an ornate headdress that perhaps suggests his role as a lord or king. Biconical suspension holes drilled through both feet, both shoulders, and both upper corners of the headdress indicate this carving likely held ritual and funerary connotations when first created. Size: 1.05" W x 2.33" H (2.7 cm x 5.9 cm)

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 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-Marc Amiguet Schmitt estate, Amiguet's Ancient Art, Evansville, Indiana, USA, acquired prior to January 1, 2010

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#173342

  • Condition: Light earthen deposits within some drilled suspension holes and minor abrasions along the verso, otherwise intact and excellent. Great preservation to carved details and stunning apple-green hues.

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November 10, 2022 8:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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