Description:

North America, Mississippi River / Tennessee River Valley, Mississippian, ca. 800 to 1500 CE. Painstakingly knapped on both sides from a piece creamy beige flint with light grey inclusions and made as a ceremonial offering, a very large and skillfilly executed eccentric flint of an abstract bird-like form presenting a dramatically curved beak and a serrated/notched back when held in a vertical orientation. Eccentric flints were among the most technically challenging articles to produce, requiring the utmost skill of the artisan. As consummate works of art, their delicate nature prevented them from being used as cutting tools; instead they were regarded as instruments of symbolic value and were used for ritualistic ceremonies. A wonderful example that shows off the stone-working skills of these indigenous peoples. Custom stand. Size: 3.25" W x 8.375" H (8.3 cm x 21.3 cm); 8.625" H (21.9 cm) on stand

Provenance: private Florida, USA collection

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#123328

  • Condition: Near choice if not choice.

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May 18, 2017 7:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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