Description:

West Mexico, Shaft Tomb area, ca. 300 BCE - 300 CE. Set of two carved shell ear spools. Both about 3/4" outer diameter. To the ancient Mayans, ears believe it or not carried remarkable significance. The indigenous believed that ears were the conduits for spiritual energy and consequently ancient artisans invested great skill and aesthetic style when creating ear flares such as these examples. Such early designs were intended to represent flowers with the front face significantly larger than the wearable area. The resulting form resembles a finely crafted trumpet or funnel shape. Provenance: Ex-private L. Langdon collection found in the mid- 20th century. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

  • Condition: Overall very good. Wearable.

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August 27, 2014 9:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$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 $2,000
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $25,000