Maya, Guatemala
Circa 500 to 800 AD
Jade
Height 2 3/8 in (6 cm)
Provenance: Private collection, Honolulu, HI; Arte Primitivo, NY, Lot 108, September 29, 2014
Jade pebble figures are among the most intimate objects produced by Classic Maya lapidaries, worked from naturally rounded jade nodules into schematic human forms that retained the smooth organic quality of the original stone. This example depicts a standing figure with simplified facial features and body, the green jade carrying the surface character and natural inclusions of unenhanced Maya material. Jade of this color and quality was sourced from the Motagua Valley of Guatemala, the primary jade source for the ancient Maya world.
Pebble figures of this type were personal objects, worn as pendants or kept as talismans, their compact scale and rounded form making them comfortable objects for daily handling. The Arte Primitivo auction provenance from September 2014 and the Honolulu private collection provide a clear ownership sequence.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
Maya, Guatemala
Circa 500 to 800 AD
Jade
Height 2 3/8 in (6 cm)
Provenance: Private collection, Honolulu, HI; Arte Primitivo, NY, Lot 108, September 29, 2014
Jade pebble figures are among the most intimate objects produced by Classic Maya lapidaries, worked from naturally rounded jade nodules into schematic human forms that retained the smooth organic quality of the original stone. This example depicts a standing figure with simplified facial features and body, the green jade carrying the surface character and natural inclusions of unenhanced Maya material. Jade of this color and quality was sourced from the Motagua Valley of Guatemala, the primary jade source for the ancient Maya world.
Pebble figures of this type were personal objects, worn as pendants or kept as talismans, their compact scale and rounded form making them comfortable objects for daily handling. The Arte Primitivo auction provenance from September 2014 and the Honolulu private collection provide a clear ownership sequence.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
