Lot 211
Pre-Columbian, Mayan Territories, ca. 550 to 900 CE. A beautiful apple green jade pendant of a crescent moon shape, skillfully carved and string-cut to depict the face of a shaman or lord on the two sloping sides. Just look at the attention to detail - those coffee-bean shaped eyes, that wide nose that bridges both sides of the face, those full lips, as well as the striated facial hair and beard. An exceedingly fine example, perforated behind the coiffure for suspension. Size: 2.25" L (5.7 cm)
The value of jade for people in ancient Central America lay in its symbolic power: perhaps its color was associated with water and vegetation, and it was also related to beliefs about death and the afterlife. For example, the Maya placed jade beads in the mouths of the dead, and this pendant likely once adorned an elite individual in the grave to accompany him in the afterlife. Just as green jade was reserved for elite Chinese emperors, in the Pre-Columbian world precious articles made from jade were reserved for royalty.
Though post-dating the Maya, a legendary story about the Aztec leader Moctezuma illustrates just how valuable jade was to the ancients of the Americas. Moctezuma gave the Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes four jade beads as tribute, noting that each bead was worth two loads of gold. The Spanish conquistador, however, only longed for gold, and dismissed the jade treasures as nothing more than lackluster green rocks. Moctezuma was amused by this foolish preference of the Spaniard.
Provenance: private R.D. collection, Long Beach, California, USA collection, acquired over 25 years from various major galleries.
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#124357
- Condition: Near choice. One tiny nick above the nose, possibly inherent to the stone, and normal wear to right side of face. Suspension cord in photo not included.
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