Olmec Green Stone Amulet / Pendant

About Auction

Live

Exceptional Antiquities, Asian, Ethnographic

By Artemis Gallery

Jun 4, 2020

Set Reminder 2020-06-04 10:00:00 2020-06-04 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Exceptional Antiquities, Asian, Ethnographic https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/exceptional-antiquities-asian-ethnographic-5185
An important one-day auction featuring museum-worthy examples of Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Etruscan, Near Eastern, Far East / Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal, Oceanic, Native American, Spanish Colonial, Russian, Fossils, Ancient Jewelry, Fine Art, so much more! Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com

View Full Catalog (393)

• Lot Description
  Pre-Columbian, Southern Mexico to Guatemala, Olmec, ca. 500 to 200 BCE. A striking Olmec pendant, finely carved with an expressive visage from a beautiful greenstone of soothing verdant hues. The face presents characteristic Olmec features such as slit form eyes with nice partial piercing at either end, a broad nose with delineated nostrils, and a down-turned mouth with a visible tongue or cleft. A special example from the Olmec, generally regarded as the first Mesoamerican civilization that was admired by the later Maya and Aztec civilizations. Perhaps referring to a nature spirit or deity, this amulet was likely intended for an elite individual of import, perhaps to protect against evil. Impressively carved and string-cut to bring this stone to life, the amulet is perforated above and beside the temples for suspension, these perforations now used to display on the custom stand. Size: 2.5" W x 1.35" H (6.4 cm x 3.4 cm); 1.6" H (4.1 cm) on included custom stand.
  
  We know that the Olmec settled in areas including San Lorenzo Tenochtitlan, La Venta, Tres Zapotes, Laguna de los Cerros, and La Mojarra; however, their influence impacted the entire Mesoamerican region. In 2005, Neutron Activation Analysis and petrography was used to demonstrate this impact via the widespread existence of Olmec ceramic vessels. Scholars suspect that other groups equated the Olmec style with elite status given the exchange and emulation of Olmec artifacts throughout Mesoamerica. It is also believed that the Olmec invented the famous Mesoamerican ballgame prevalent among the later Maya as well as other cultures in the region, and may have also invented religious entities such as the feathered serpent and the rain god, which would continue in subsequent cultures.
  
  While difficult to completely understand their belief system given that the Olmec were pre-literate, scholars theorize that their famous monumental stone heads, which can weigh up to forty tons, may have been erected to honor ancestors or rulers. The smaller greenstone figures and amulets like this example are thought to represent totems or divinities. The artistry and technique of Olmec sculptural works is remarkable given what little technology that was available to them as well as the dearth of earlier works to reference for inspiration. The Olmec style oftentimes embraces a certain amount of naturalism as well as abstract interpretation of particular facial features - i.e. down- turned mouths and slit eyes - as we see on this amulet.
  
  Provenance: ex-Barakat Gallery, Beverly Hills, California, USA, 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.
  
  #155904

  Condition

  Intact. The stone has a weathered surface with some abrasions, but the features are well preserved and clear.
• 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 %