Description:

Pre-Columbian, Mexico and northern Central America, Maya Territories, Late Classic, ca. 550 to 900 CE. An intriguing chert "eccentric" flint in the form of an abstract zoomorph or two humans in profile. The chert has a rounded lower portion that could serve as a body for two people standing back to back, with jutting chins and noses above. Another interpretation could be a crawling insect, like an ant or spider, with a bulbous abdomen and protruding limbs. Such flints often leave much to the imagination! These eccentric flints were not carved as weapons, but as interesting designs, which had sacrificial and ceremonial use for the Maya. Chert flints are made using percussion, striking them with other stones; the process required training and skill to create elaborate pieces such as this large flint. Such flints are often found as offerings in caches inside of stone monuments and other architectural features. Size: 3" L x 1.75" W (7.6 cm x 4.4 cm)

Provenance: Bennett's Premiere Artifact Auctions, ex-Richard Shivley

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#146751

  • Condition: Losses and chips to tips of the small protrusions. Surface abrasion and small nicks to peripheries. Good preservation of form with natural stone inclusions.

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April 15, 2021 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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