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THBLarge Colima Mahogany Obsidian Spearhead
Lot 89c
About Seller
Artemis Gallery
686 S Taylor Ave, Ste 106
Louisville, CO 80027
United States
Selling antiquities, ancient and ethnographic art online since 1993, Artemis Gallery specializes in Classical Antiquities (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern), Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal / Oceanographic art. Our extensive inventory includes pottery, stone, metal, wood, glass and textil...Read more
Live Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot Estimate:
$1,200 - $1,800
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| $300 | $50 |
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| $5,000 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $2,500 |
| $50,000 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 | $20,000 |
About Auction
Live
By Artemis Gallery
Jan 7, 2021
Set Reminder
2021-01-07 10:00:00
2021-01-07 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-6258
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
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 (351)
- Lot Description
Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Colima, ca. 300 BCE to 300 CE. A hand-knapped spear tip, created from a lovely piece of mahogany obsidian. The two pointed tips are symmetrically knapped at both ends of the elongated body. This stone has a gorgeous russet red hue with black inclusions, and this large piece of raw obsidian is noteworthy. Obsidian is a volcanic stone which was revered by ancient Mesoamericans for its beauty; however obsidian was rare and difficult to obtain, especially intact large pieces, such as the one used to create this spearhead! Presumably this piece may have belonged to a wealthy or elite member of society, and it is likely this spearhead was buried with the deceased to accompany in the afterlife. Size: 12" L x 1.625" W (30.5 cm x 4.1 cm)
Obsidian - "iztli" to the indigenous - 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 points of these pieces 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 in Guatemala, was traded hundreds of miles to meet the demand for sharp cutting tools and ritual objects, and then was struck using a deer antler or small hammer stone to form blades and other forms. 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: private Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA collection; ex-Dr. David Harner collection, Springdale, Arkansas, USA, acquired between the 1950s and 1960s
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.
We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
#161570Some flaking to peripheries. Chips and nicks to peripheries not from knapping process. Nice mineral deposits and earthen encrustations.Condition
- Shipping Info
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