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THBSuperb Olmec Greenstone Figural Were-Jaguar Pendant
Lot 166a
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:
$9,000 - $12,000
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About Auction
Live
By Artemis Gallery
Mar 9, 2023
Set Reminder
2023-03-09 10:00:00
2023-03-09 10:00:00
America/New_York
Bidsquare
Bidsquare : Exceptional Ancient, Ethnographic, & Fine Art
https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/exceptional-ancient-ethnographic-fine-art-12354
Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
View Full Catalog (413)
- Lot Description
**First Time At Auction**
Pre-Columbian, Southern Mexico to Guatemala, Olmec, ca. 900 to 500 BCE. A superb Olmec pendant or charm, of a standing shaman figure that is masterfully rendered from a greenstone into a flattened form, the head pierced through for suspension. The head and visage depicted with quintessentially were-jaguar facial details including a downturned jaguar mouth, slanted eyes, full cheeks, and long ears that are biconically drilled for the suspension of ornaments. Figurines like this were highly symbolic, although their full meaning is lost today- the shaman may represent the intense process of were-jaguar transformation! Scholars have proposed that the flattened and elongated heads of these figures are indicative of the artificial cranial deformation practiced by the Olmec. An exemplar of Olmec sculpture, impressive for its technique, iconography! Size: 2" L x 1" W (5.1 cm x 2.5 cm); case: 4.25" L x 3.25" W (10.8 cm x 8.3 cm)
The attention to detail on this piece is quite impressive. Note the expressive lips and cleft palette of the jaguar mouth, the full nose with pierced nostrils, and the stylized elliptical-shaped eyes. Jaguar imagery symbolized power and might throughout the Pre-Columbian world; hence, warriors, rulers, hunters, and shamans alike associated themselves with this king of beasts, the largest and most powerful feline in the New World. Olmec were-jaguars portray shamans during their metamorphosis into their supernatural counterpart as they engage in visionary trances, perhaps induced by powerful hallucinogens.
Provenance: private Pennsylvania, USA collection, acquired before 2004
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.
#177145Minor nicks and chips, otherwise intact and excellent. Light mineral deposits in the recessed areas. Comes in a Riker case.Condition
- Shipping Info
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