Description:

Pre-Columbian, Southern Mexico to Guatemala, Maya, ca. 500 to 900 CE. A remarkable conch shell carved from a substantial 294-gram (10.3 oz) piece of jade, skillfully shaped to highlight naturalistic whorls and an outer lip aperture. Suspension holes are drilled at each end of the lip, while incised details and recessed circles retain remains of red pigment. The labor-intensive process of transforming raw jade into such a finely crafted ornament enhances its value and significance. Shell imagery held deep meaning for the Maya, with the spiraling whorls symbolizing cycles and continuity. Conch shells, sourced from the sea, represented the primordial space of human origin and the watery underworld, Xibalba. Additionally, conchs carved into trumpets were linked to wind, moisture, and breath - the musician’s lifeforce breath transformed into resonant sound, believed to embody the voices of the gods. Size: 3.75" L x 2.75" W x 2" H (9.5 cm x 7 cm x 5.1 cm).

Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection

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.

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#190042

    Condition:
  • Choice. Intact and excellent. Natural striations across the surface. Remains of reddish mineral deposits / pigment in recessed areas.

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November 22, 2024 8:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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