Description:

Pre-Columbian, southern Mexico to Guatemala, Maya, Late Classic Period, ca. 550 to 900 CE. A hand-carved jadeite celt of characteristic trapezoidal exhibiting deep green hues. The lapidary implement features a sharpened blade edge, gently convex faces and peripheries, and a rounded butt end for gripping. This celt is an ancient tool, shaped like an axe head with a rounded blade and slightly incurved sides that form a straight edge. The surface is delightfully smooth in texture; formed over many hours using painstaking techniques by master artisans and speckled throughout the stone are glimmering inclusions of what might be mica. The lovely green hues of the jade made this a desirable piece, and jade held symbolic power for ancient cultures; perhaps its color was associated with water and vegetation. Size: 5.6" L x 1.8" W (14.2 cm x 4.6 cm)

Celts were associated with ears of corn, the V-shape being associated with the husk from which the cob emerged. At La Venta (a coastal city near present day Tabasco), caches of celts were discovered planted vertically like miniature stelae. The blunt end of this celt would suggest a similar use, and when placed in a vertical position its appearance is much more dramatic. In this stance, the celt served to define the central axis mundi and the corners of the four-sided world, regarded as a cosmic maize field.

Provenance: ex-Marc Amiguet Schmitt estate, Amiguet's Ancient Art, Evansville, Indiana, USA, acquired prior to January 1, 2010

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#173399

  • Condition: Small chips to blade edge and areas of roughness along butt end, otherwise intact and excellent. Great surface smoothness throughout.

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December 1, 2022 8:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
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