Description:

Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Jalisco, ca. 300 BCE to 300 CE. A beautiful stone blade created from a large piece of jet-black obsidian. This piece is well-crafted with knapped edges, a pointed tip, and a rounded butt end. The blade would have been secured to the end of a lengthy wooden pole with leather or textile strips. Obsidian was revered by ancient Mesoamericans as being some of the finest and sharpest material available. The still-sharp edges of this example prove that! Obsidian - also known as "iztli" - fascinated the ancient Mesoamericans; the Aztecs even had a god, Tezcatlipoca, who was the Lord of the Smoking Obsidian Mirror. In a world without metal, this sharp quality was especially important for ceremonies of ritual bloodletting and human sacrifice. Size: 1.9" W x 7.05" H (4.8 cm x 17.9 cm); 7.45" H (18.9 cm) on included custom stand.

Provenance: ex-Hilja Herfurth collection, Denver, Colorado, USA

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#147748

  • Condition: Intact, with light deposits on surface. Old collection sticker on one side.

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

Artemis Fine Arts

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