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THBLot of 5 Colima Obsidian Spearheads
Lot 111
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:
$1,600 - $2,400
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| $0 | $25 |
| $300 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $250 |
| $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
Mar 4, 2021
Set Reminder
2021-03-04 10:00:00
2021-03-04 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-6467
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 (347)
- Lot Description
Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Colima, ca. 300 BCE to 300 CE. A fabulous ensemble of five hand-knapped obsidian stone spearheads, all boasting lustrous surfaces in hues of black and charcoal grey with natural cream and light grey inclusions. Three present ovoid forms with pointed ends, while the remaining two show lengthy blades with short, broad necks. All five spear tips were created by knapping, a process that involves hitting the obsidian with a harder stone to flake the surface into the desired form. Obsidian was revered for its naturally glassy surface that fractured into razor sharp edges. These spearheads may have been votive pieces for burial, rather than warfare. Size of largest: 1.75" W x 10.625" H (4.4 cm x 27 cm); Size of display case: 8.25" W x 12.25" H (21 cm x 31.1 cm)
Obsidian - "iztli" to them - fascinated the ancient Mesoamericans; the Aztecs even had a god, Tezcatlipoca, who was the Lord of the Smoking Obsidian Mirror; indeed obsidian was used to create mirrors as well. Furthermore, in a world without metal, obsidian's ability to be sharp was also 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 stones to form blades and coveted forms like these. 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 obsidian like these examples.
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.
#162471Minor nicks to peripheries that are not from the knapping process. Areas of light mineral deposits. Otherwise, excellent and intact.Condition
- Shipping Info
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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.
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