Pre-Columbian, Colombia, Tairona culture, ca. 800 to 1500 CE. A ceremonial axe or knife hand carved from a pretty mottled greenstone. The blade is flared with the cutting edge running along one edge from the shoulder to the upturned tip. The thick handle is drilled from both sides to create a suspension hole. When gripped the index finger rests comfortably and securely under the projecting shoulder. The green hues of the stone were a symbolic representation of fertility, and this blade likely served a ritualistic rather than utilitarian purpose and may have been buried with the deceased. Size: 5.6" L x 2.25" W (14.2 cm x 5.7 cm)
Provenance: Private J. Hart Collection, Houston, Texas, USA, acquired mid-1970's
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#167482
Condition
Chips to blade edge and surface abrasions, but otherwise intact. Highly polished.