Description:

Pre-Columbian, Ecuador, Valdivian/Shillacoto-Wairajirca, ca. 1800 to 1500 BCE. A ceremonial hand axe carved from a stone of forest-green hues into a T-shape. The blade faces taper into a smooth, rounded blade edge, and the thick handle boasts a pair of ovoid projections. Hand axes of this form have been found as part of the Kotosh Religious tradition, a name that archaeologists have given to ritual buildings built between 3000 and 1500 BCE in narrow valleys of the high Andes. Hand axes like this one, although shaped like a real tool, were made specifically for ritual purposes and symbolized the power of their bearer, often following them into the grave. Size: 3.85" W x 3.2" H (9.8 cm x 8.1 cm)

Provenance: ex-Colonel William R. Cameron collection (California, USA); private California collection (acquired 2004); ex-Gill Family collection (California, USA, acquired 1980)

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#145156

  • Condition: Intact, with a few small abrasions on the surface commensurate with age. Light deposits in lower profile areas.

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August 6, 2019 8:00 AM MDT
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
$200,000 + $20,000