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THBMaya Basalt Head / Skull
Lot 73a
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:
$2,000 - $3,000
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Bid Increments
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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
Jan 21, 2021
Set Reminder
2021-01-21 10:00:00
2021-01-21 10:00:00
America/New_York
Bidsquare
Bidsquare : Ancient / Ethnographic From Around The World
https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/ancient-ethnographic-from-around-the-world-6316
Ancient art from Egypt, Greece, Italy and the Near East, as well as Asian, Pre-Columbian, Native American, African / Tribal / Oceanic, Spanish Colonial, Russian Icons, Fine art, 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, Pre-Columbian, Native American, African / Tribal / Oceanic, Spanish Colonial, Russian Icons, Fine art, 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, Southern Mexico to Guatemala, Maya, Classic Period, ca. 250 to 600 CE. An intriguing skull/head carved from basalt presenting with two recessed eye sockets below two risen eyebrows, a projecting nasal bridge leading to a flat nose, rounded cheeks, thick upper lip, and elongated open mouth showing off both upper and lower sets of teeth. With a flattened back, the round visage displays natural mottled hues of sand, tan, and light sienna. Looking closely, one can see traces of pigments, such as white, blue, green, red, and yellow that previously decorated the surface, suggesting that this may have depicted a skull or a fantastical face. A haunting reminder of a culture passed, on the market just in time for Halloween! Size: 3.0625" L x 2.375" W x 3.875" H (7.8 cm x 6 cm x 9.8 cm)
One may ask, does this represent a trophy head? Disembodied heads were a near-universal constant in Mesoamerican imagery for millennia; however, by the Classic Maya period it seems likely that the practice of taking of actual trophy heads, for the most part, had been replaced by a practice of using skulls as the ball in their ballgame. One example of this is in the Popol Vuh, a text recounting the history and mythology of the Kiche Maya of the Guatemalan Highlands, where a decapitated head is used instead of a rubber ball.
Provenance: 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.
We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
#159554Expected chips, nicks, and fading to paint. Earthen deposits commensurate with age. Intact and excellent.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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