Description:

Pre-Columbian, Peru, Inca culture, ca. 1300-1500 CE. The Inca engineered fortresses that were complex and made of large polished stone walls with boulders painstakingly cut to fit together tightly without mortar. Perhaps the most famous Inca fortress is Saksaywaman situated high above Cusco. As many battles occurred in and around Saksaywaman it was critical for maintaining control over the city. Excavations have revealed that it included towers and other buildings organized in a labyrinth-like complex. There were also large windows that looked over the city, a great plaza for ceremonial activities, and many storage rooms. Once Cusco was sieged, however, the Spaniards used Saksaywaman as a source for stones to build Spanish Cuzco. Within only a few years, much of the complex was destroyed. Whether this model is of Saksaywaman or another Inca fortress, it is a rare treasure that preserves the architectural and engineering prowess of the Inca. A huge example at 26"L x 17-1/2"W.

Provenance: Ex-Ian Arundel Collection, CA, collected 1950s-1960s.

All items in this auction are legal to buy/sell under U.S. statute covering cultural patrimony per United States Code 2600, CHAPTER 14 -- CONVENTION ON CULTURAL PROPERTY, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

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Auction House will ship, at Buyer's expense

June 13, 2014 9:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,000
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $25,000