A fine Olmec Jade Bead Necklace, , ca. 1100 - 400 BCE
PJ2305
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An beautiful single strand necklace comprised of very finely carved spherical jade beads. The jades vary in color from pale to medium to deep forest green; many have a bluish cast that the Olmecs prized. Modern strung on a wire strand, with modern 14K gold clasp and gold bead spacers.
Jade was the preeminent material in ancient Mesoamerica, from Olmec through the Maya era, for conveying life-sustaining power and status. Known as chalchihuitl, jade represented the first green shoots of fresh growing maize, flowing water, and the promise of fertility and regeneration in this extremely durable and everlasting form. The Olmecs valued jade over any other material in lapidary art; difficult to obtain, it was a relatively rare and precious stone. Olmec artists polished the stone to a mirror finish to reveal its color and translucency. There was a strong preference for blue-green hues, which was the color associated with the center of the cosmos. jade was revered in ancient cultures, as well as today, to access the spiritual world, gain insight into ritualistic knowledge, encourage creativity, and help interpret dreams. Most valued for its metaphysical properties, it was cherished as a protective talisman, assuring long life and a peaceful death, and was considered a powerful healing stone.
The vibrant green variations symbolized growth and vegetation, especially young, maturing corn, making it a stone that stands for wealth, longevity, vitality, life, and death. Olmec, Maya, Aztec, and Costa Rican elites particularly appreciated jade carvings and artifacts and commissioned elegant pieces from skillful artisans. Jade was traded and exchanged among elite members as a luxury item all over the pre-Hispanic American world and is often found in elite burial contexts as personal adornments.
Medium: Jade
Dimensions: Length: 17 inches (44 cm)
Condition: Overall, it is intact and in excellent condition.
Provenance: Stuart Giles (1951-1993) private collection acquired in London between 1978 and 1982, then by family descent.
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