Large Colima Green Obsidian Chopper

About Auction

Live

Ancient & Ethnographic Art Through The Ages

By Artemis Gallery

Sep 16, 2021

Set Reminder 2021-09-16 10:00:00 2021-09-16 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Ancient & Ethnographic Art Through The Ages https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/ancient-ethnographic-art-through-the-ages-7473
Ancient art from Egypt, Greece, Italy and the Near East, as well as Asian, Fossils, Pre-Columbian, Native American, African / Tribal / Oceanic, Fine art, and much more! All categories, all price ranges... all legally acquired and guaranteed to be as described or your money back. Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com

View Full Catalog (364)

• Lot Description
  Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Colima, Protoclassic period, ca. 100 BCE to 250 CE. A beautiful and sizable chopper of an elongated spade-shaped form that is hand-knapped from opaque obsidian of an incredibly deep, forest-green hue. The tool features lightly convex faces, a narrow tip that perhaps once tapered to a point, sharpened edges, and a wide tail with a broad point. Substantial obsidian blades like this example were secured to the end of a wooden pole or handle with leather or textile straps and used for a multitude of utilitarian purposes. A fantastic and fully intact example! Size: 3.9" W x 9.5" H (9.9 cm x 24.1 cm); 10.3" H (26.2 cm) on included custom stand.
  
  Obsidian - also known as "iztli" - fascinated the ancient Mesoamericans; the Aztecs even had a god, Tezcatlipoca, who was the Lord of the Smoking Obsidian Mirror. The shockingly sharp edges and point of this piece demonstrate its great allure. In a world without metal, this sharp quality was especially important for ceremonies of ritual bloodletting and human sacrifice. The difficult-to-obtain material came from volcanic sources in the Sierra Madre of Mexico and Guatemala, traded hundreds of miles to meet the demand for sharp cutting tools and ritual objects, and then were struck using a deer antler or small hammer stone to form blades and other shapes. The Colima buried their dead in shaft tombs deep below their residences, alongside the remains of their ancestors. These tombs were richly furnished with ceramic figures, vessels, offerings, and precious stone items of jade and obsidian.
  
  Provenance: ex-private Arcadia, California, USA collection, acquired prior to 2000
  
  All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
  
  A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
  
  PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.
  
  Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.
  
  #164614

  Condition

  Minor nicks to peripheries and both faces commensurate with age, use, and the knapping process, otherwise intact and excellent. Great surface smoothness throughout. Knapped peripheral edges are still very sharp.
• Shipping Info

  • All shipping is handled in-house for your convenience. Your invoice from Artemis Gallery will include shipping calculation instructions. If in doubt, please inquire BEFORE bidding for estimated shipping costs for individual items.

• Buyer's Premium
  • 26.50 %