Description:

Pre-Columbian, Guatemala, Maya Late Classic, ca. 550 to 900 CE. A fantastic orange-red chert eccentric, carved into the form of a symmetrical caterpillar. The symbolism of the caterpillar is fascinating. Many Mesoamerican cultures believed that meteors became caterpillars when they struck the earth. The people of Teotihuacan and the Aztecs also associated caterpillars with the bundles in which they burned warriors' bodies, whose souls became butterflies in death. The Maya, meanwhile, seem to have used caterpillars to symbolize birth. The common theme is transformation, which must have been an important belief for the ancient person who commissioned this piece. Size: 2.95" W x 0.95" H (7.5 cm x 2.4 cm)

Provenance: ex-Hilja Herfurth collection, Denver, Colorado, USA

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#147749

  • Condition: Excellent condition with very light wear commensurate with age.

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July 25, 2019 7:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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