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THBOlmec Greenstone Bloodletter - Hummingbird
Lot 102a
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
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Live Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot Estimate:
$3,000 - $5,000
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| $300 | $50 |
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| $10,000 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $2,500 |
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| $100,000 | $10,000 |
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About Auction
Live
By Artemis Gallery
Jun 29, 2023
Set Reminder
2023-06-29 10:00:00
2023-06-29 10:00:00
America/New_York
Bidsquare
Bidsquare : Exceptional Antiquities, Ethnographic and Fine Art
https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/exceptional-antiquities-ethnographic-and-fine-art-13031
Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
View Full Catalog (339)
- Lot Description
Pre-Columbian, Southern Mexico to Guatemala, Olmec, ca. 900 to 500 BCE. A charming bloodletting tool called a piercer in the shape of a hummingbird, all hand-carved from mottled blue-green stone with white and beige inclusions. The adorable avian features petite legs tucked beneath the slender body, a pair of drilled eyes, and a massive beak with a once needle-sharp point. With mirror-smooth surface polishing and a pretty presentation, this is a wonderful example of ancient ritual exsanguination! Size: 1.125" L x 0.6" W x 5.25" H (2.9 cm x 1.5 cm x 13.3 cm)
The hummingbird - a stunning and unique bird that would have caught the eye of ancient people - was powerfully symbolic in ancient Mesoamerica and is a common feature of Olmec artwork. They are frequently paired with the eagle and hawk, symbols of the sun and warfare - perhaps inspired by the behavior of the real birds, who are territorial and aggressive. Their sharp beaks mimic the bloodletting instruments used in ritual.
Unlike the later Maya, we have not found any representations of ritual bloodletting in Olmec art. However, greenstone and ceramic perforators as well as representations of such paraphernalia on stelae and in iconography provide evidence of its practice among the Olmec. For example, a translation of the Epi-Olmec culture's La Mojarra Stela 1 tells of the ruler's ritual bloodletting.
Provenance: private Lexington, Kentucky, USA collection; ex-Dr. Jose Medina, Florida, USA, first Dean of University of Florida College of Dentistry, who traveled extensively in the 1960s to 1970s providing indigenous people with Dental care (b.1926 d. 2007), acquired 1960s to 1970s in Mexico and Guatemala
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.
#179734Minor chips and abrasions, with light earthen deposits within some recessed areas, otherwise intact and excellent. Great preservation to overall form, and wonderful surface smoothness throughout.Condition
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