Description:

Pre-Columbian, southern Mexico, Guerrero region, early Mezcala culture, ca. 800 to 400 BCE. A superb example of an abstract anthropomorphic maskette that is expertly hand-carved from mottled forest-green stone with noteworthy Olmecoid features. The stone is shaped using string cut techniques with broad grooves and drilled perforations for suspension along the sides of the head and through the nose. On the head is a helmet - the Olmec traditionally wore tight-fitting helmets and scholars believe that the resulting artificial cranial deformation was a sign of elite status. The Guerrero region of modern-day southwestern Mexico was the center of the Mezcala and Chontal stone carving traditions. While Chontal sculptors imbued their artworks with more naturalism, Mezcala artists were known for their abstract, geometric style. Size: 3.5" L x 2.5" W (8.9 cm x 6.4 cm)

Provenance: private Healy collection, Studio City, California, USA, acquired September 29, 2015; ex-Arte Primitivo; ex-Hilda Tijou collection, California, USA, acquired in the 1960s or earlier, by descent to her granddaughter

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#175149

  • Condition: Surface nicks and abrasions, otherwise intact and great condition. Light mineral deposits in drilled holes.

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November 17, 2022 8:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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