A Maya Jade Jaguar Pendant Necklace, Classic Period, ca. 600–900 CE

A finely carved jade pendant depicting a stylized jaguar face, rendered in a compact circular form. The sculptor created the features with confident incised lines: a ridged brow, large drilled eyes, flaring whisker pads, and a squared fanged mouth. The result is a mask-like visage that conveys the jaguar’s spiritual force. The stone is a soft blue-green with natural translucency and a smooth, well-preserved polish.

In the Classic Maya world, the jaguar was one of the most potent symbols of authority and sacred power. It embodied night, the underworld, warfare, and shamanic transformation. Elite individuals wore jade jaguar pendants and appliqués as protective emblems and markers of status, drawing on the animal’s role as a guardian and supernatural alter-ego. The drilled eyes on this example follow the familiar Maya convention for ornaments that could be suspended or sewn onto clothing or regalia.

The pendant is presented on a later yellow gold chain for modern wear.

Medium: Jade

Dimensions: Length: 15/16 inch (2.4 cm), Width: 7/8 inch (2.3 cm) 

Condition: Minor age-related surface wear. High points slightly softened from ancient handling. No visible breaks or restorations. Drilled features and incisions remain clean and crisp.

Provenance: Private Australian collection acquired from the London trade in the early 1970s.

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