Description:

**First Time At Auction**

Pre-Columbian, Mayan Territories, ca. 600 to 900 CE. A cream-colored chert (flint), striated with a pale brown color, knapped into the form of a scorpion with a long tail that curves into a point. In Maya mythology, the scorpion is associated with the renewal of the agricultural cycle - and therefore, of life. The scorpion's tail stings lightning, which attracts rain to feed the hungry crops. Size: 4.25" L x 1.8" W (10.8 cm x 4.6 cm)

Knapped chert tools are made using percussion technique (striking them with other stones), and the process required to get them the correct shape requires training and skill. Stones carved not as weapons, but into interesting shapes, had sacrificial and ceremonial use for the Maya, and are often found as offerings in caches inside of stone monuments and other architectural features.

Provenance: Ex-Harvey Collection, acquired prior to 1972

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#120171

  • Condition: Tiny white deposits in grooves. Overall excellent.

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March 27, 2017 10:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,000
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
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