Description:

Pre-Columbian, Olmec culture, ca. 1150 to 550 BCE. A gorgeous perforator, painstakingly carved from hard greenstone to resemble a hummingbird in flight, its long, nectar-probing bill nearly half the length of the entire item, its body flattened with wings flat against its body and its tail a series of incised ridges. A drilled hole under the neck would allow this to be worn or to be attached to a belt. The hummingbird - a stunning and unique bird that would have caught the eye of ancient people - was powerfully symbolic in ancient Mesoamerica and is a common feature of Olmec artwork. They are frequently paired with the eagle and hawk, symbols of the sun and warfare - perhaps inspired by the behavior of the real birds, who are territorial and aggressive. Their sharp beaks mimic the bloodletting instruments used in ritual. Size: 3.4" L x 1.5" W x 0.95" H (8.6 cm x 3.8 cm x 2.4 cm); 3.45" H (8.8 cm) on included custom stand.

Unlike the later Maya, we have not found any representations of ritual bloodletting in Olmec art. However, greenstone and ceramic perforators as well as representations of such paraphernalia on stelae and in iconography provide evidence of its practice among the Olmec. For example, a translation of the Epi-Olmec culture's La Mojarra Stela 1 tells of the ruler's ritual bloodletting.

Provenance: ex Lewis Land collection

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#132049

  • Condition: Patina from age and handling. Light encrustation in lower profile areas.

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April 5, 2018 7:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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