Lot of 5 Colima Obsidian Spearheads

Lot 33

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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

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Pre-Columbian | Tribal | Oceanic by Artemis Gallery

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Pre-Columbian | Tribal | Oceanic

By Artemis Gallery

Mar 18, 2021

Set Reminder 2021-03-18 10:00:00 2021-03-18 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Pre-Columbian | Tribal | Oceanic https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/pre-columbian-tribal-oceanic-6520 Featuring Pre-Columbian, Native American, African / Tribal, Oceanic, much more. All items have been legally acquired and are legal to sell. Convenient in-house shipping. Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com

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Lot Description

Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Colima, ca. 300 BCE to 300 CE. A fabulous ensemble of five hand-knapped obsidian stone spearheads, all presenting lengthy ovoid forms that taper to points at both ends and are knapped on each side's convex faces with sharp peripheries. Four of these deadly weapons boast hues of black and charcoal grey with natural cream and light grey inclusions, while the remaining spearhead features a warm shade of russet speckled with tones of beige and black. All showcasing a lustrous burnish, the 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: 2.125" W x 9.875" H (5.4 cm x 25.1 cm); Size of custom display case: 16.25" W x 12.25" H (41.3 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.

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#162494

Condition

Minor nicks to peripheries that are not from the knapping process. Areas of light mineral deposits. Otherwise, all are excellent and intact.
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