An Olmec Greenstone Celt, Early Formative Period, ca. 1150 to 550 BCE.
This object qualifies for free USA shipping and a flat rate fee of $60 if shipping internationally.
The Olmecs used long-distance trade routes to acquire greenstone, such as this example from Eastern Guatemala, over three hundred miles from their homeland suggesting greenstone celts had immense value in society. Scholars believe the Olmecs associated green stones with staples such as water, vegetation, and young corn. Research suggests greenstone celts, such as this example, represented ears of corn and were used as a form of currency by the Olmec. Based on burial practices, particularly objects from important burials at La Venta in Tabasco, Mexico, it appears greenstone celts were reserved for high nobility, royalty, and the gods.
cf: Karl A. Taube, Olmec Art at Dumbarton Oaks, 1996, p. 17-19
Condition: Intact and in excellent condition.
Dimensions: Height: 5 7/8 inches (15 cm)
Provenance: Old upstate New York estate collection.
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Furthermore, we conduct due diligence to ensure the item, to the best of our knowledge, has not been illegally obtained from an excavation, architectural monument, public institution, or private property. Wherever possible, reference is made to existing collections or publications.Wherever possible, reference is made to existing collections or publications.
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