Pre-Columbian, North Mexico, Chihuahua, Casas Grandes (Paquime), ca. 1280 to 1450 CE. A large trough-style metate, carved from volcanic stone, displaying a porous surface with mottled hues of charcoal and ash grays, and a mano pecked from a smoky pink igneous rock. The metate is a rectangular shape with a wall around 3/4 of the sides to contain the ground material - the open front gently slopes upward to the back as the grinding surface. The deep groove from countless hours of scraping and grinding the hefty mano stone over the surface - interestingly the shape of the mano stone determined the wrist angle and therefore type of upward or downward stroke. Trough metates are similar to mortar and pestles in that they were developed as nether stones in food preparation such as grinding herbs and corn into flour, and other utilitarian purposes, such as pulverizing clay to temper fine particles. A great example of this large tool! Size (metate): 16" L x 14.25" W x 7" H (40.6 cm x 36.2 cm x 17.8 cm); (mano): 10" L x 5" W (25.4 cm x 12.7 cm)
Provenance: private Eagle, Colorado, USA collection, acquired in the 1990s
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#168265
Condition
Stable cavities within the mano, old abrasions likely from use. Old loss to back exterior corner of metate and abrasions and chips throughout as expected with age. Metate trough has great signs of use, the bottom grinding surface is worn down from years of use and thin towards the front opening lip.