Pre-Columbian, Costa Rica, ca. 500 CE. Hand-carved from a beautiful piece of grey, cream, and streaked black hard stone, this is a ceremonial mace head in the form of a hummingbird's head and bulbous body. The body is drilled through to create a thick socket with curved edges. The head has a long beak, a double crest atop the head, and two bulging eyes. For ancient central Americans, the hummingbird had great symbolic power as a symbol of the sun and warfare - indeed, the persistent, whirring flight of the hummingbird was often compared to the movement of the sun across the sky. In addition, their sharp beaks mimicked the bloodletting instruments used in ritual. Size: 3" W x 3.25" H (7.6 cm x 8.3 cm)
Based on many pottery figures from throughout the pre-Columbian world, maces were symbolic objects, carried by rulers and gods as visible signs of their power. The level of craftsmanship on this beautiful piece indicates that it was worth the time put in to create it, and that a highly skilled artisan - possibly someone who specialized in making such objects - created it for someone wealthy. This item would never have been used as a weapon, but instead in a ritual and buried with someone of high status.
Provenance: ex-private F. Ritter collection, Collinsville, Illinois, USA
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#145001
Condition
Some smoothing to form from touch. Light deposits on interior of socket. Stable hairline fracture on the lower half.