Pre-Columbian, Southern Mexico to Guatemala, Olmec, ca. 1150 to 550 BCE. This is a fine serpentine pendant, hand pecked and polished into a bifacial flattened bar shape, then pierced through one face and up through the periphery. The stone exhibits opaque, deep green hues with lighter inclusions throughout. The tips are polished to sheer surfaces that illuminate at the very edge when held to the light. The lovely hues of the serpentine are inherently attractive, and the minimalistic shaping and polishing creates a desirable piece that was likely threaded on a cord for wear as a pendant. A superb example from the Olmec, indeed the first Mesoamerican civilization that most regard as the forerunner of subsequent ancient American cultures such as the Maya and Aztecs! Size: 3.5" L x 1" W (8.9 cm x 2.5 cm)
Provenance: ex-Saint Petersburg, Florida, USA collection; ex-private Texas, USA collection, prior to 1970
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#164805
Condition
Chips to peripheries and surface nicks. Larger chip around the drilled perforation on upper edge but is older damage with mineral deposits in recessed areas. Gorgeous coloration with a high polish.