Description:

Pre-Columbian, Ecuador, Valdivian/Shillacoto-Wairajirca culture, ca. 1800 to 1500 CE. A fine T-shaped hand axe carved from forest-green stone. The axe has a wide handle with a pair of protruding terminals, a tapered shoulder, and a hefty blade head with a sharpened edge. Hand axes of this form have been found as part of the Kotosh religious tradition, a name that archaeologists have given to ritual buildings built between 3000 and 1500 BCE in the mountain drainages of the high Andes. Hand axes like this one, although shaped like a real tool, were made specifically for ritual purposes and symbolized the power of their bearer, often following into the grave. Lucite display stand for photography purposes only. Size: 4" W x 3" H (10.2 cm x 7.6 cm).

Provenance: private California, USA collection, acquired in 2004; ex-Gill Family collection, California, USA, acquired in 1980; ex-Colonel William R. Cameron collection, California, USA

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#145157

  • Condition: Small chips to areas of blade edge and handle, with minor abrasions on both sides of tool. Light earthen deposits throughout. Old inventory label on verso.

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August 6, 2019 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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$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 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000