Pre-Columbian, Costa Rica, Guanacaste Nicoya Region, ca. 1 to 500 CE. A beautiful disc-shaped mace head, with an abstract avian head - probably meant to evoke a hummingbird - protruding from one side. It is hand-carved from a very pale green, smooth stone with dark brown and black banded inclusions. The bird's head is broad, with shallow indentations for eyes and a prominent beak. Behind the neck area is a drilled, smoothed, round opening. The hummingbird is often paired with eagles and hawks, symbols of the sun and warfare - indeed, the persistent, whirring flight of the hummingbird was often compared to the movement of the sun across the sky. In addition, their sharp beaks mimic the bloodletting instruments used in ritual. Size: 4.45" W x 2.35" H (11.3 cm x 6 cm); 5.2" H (13.2 cm) on included custom stand.
Based on many pottery figures from throughout the pre-Columbian world, figural maces were often symbolic objects, carried by rulers and gods as visible signs of their power. The level of craftsmanship on this beautiful piece indicates that it was worth the time put in to create it, and that a highly skilled artisan - possibly someone who specialized in making such objects - created it for someone of wealth and importance.
Provenance: ex-Karkashian collection, collected by the late John Karkashian, who worked for the US State Department in South and Central America and formed his collection from 1957 to 1968
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#144502
Condition
Light deposits on surface and rich patina. Intact with nice preservation of form.