🔥 Incredible Ancient Old Pre-Columbian CHONTAL Olmec Jade Stone Figure, HUGE

Description: This is a Historically Important and Incredible Authentic Ancient Old Pre-Columbian CHONTAL Olmec Jade Stone Figure, carved from either jade or some type of greenstone, originating from the Guerrero region of Mexico, and dating from 300 - 100 BCE. This figure exemplifies the distinctive style of Chontal stone figurative sculptures, characterized by their abstraction and geometric simplicity, infused with stylized realism.This figure is depicted in a standing position, with a large head, robust, slightly elongated body and minimal detailing, a hallmark of Chontal artistry. The head is quite large in proportion to the body, with a stylized face featuring simple, deeply incised eyes, a pronounced nose, and a broad mouth with puffy lips. The facial features are understated, yet they convey a sense of solemnity or introspection. This face in particular can be described as Olmecoid, notably borrowing from the artistic style of their contemporary Olmec neighbors, whom the Chontal were known to trade with. The arms are subtly indicated by incised lines and brought straight downwards, touching the knees, which is a common pose in Chontal figures.The legs are depicted as two slightly separated forms, with a deep groove between them to define the lower body and feet. The surface of the stone is smooth but shows signs of wear and natural patina, giving it a timeworn appearance that suggests considerable age and burial wear.Chontal figures like this were often used in ceremonial or funerary contexts, serving as votive offerings or representations of deities, ancestors, or protective spirits. The use of green stone, which was considered precious and symbolically significant, underscores the importance of the figure, possibly indicating a connection to fertility, water, or vegetation.This is lovely and very rare large example, at approximately 9 7/8 x inches tall x 5 inches wide x 3 inches deep. Good overall condition for 2000 years of age and burial wear, with some mottling to the stone, light chipping, edge wear, one broken off foot (an ancient break,) and even the evidence of lichens growing over the old stone patina (please see photos carefully.) Priced to Sell. This is a museum quality specimen, and a paramount example of Chontal artistry. This piece is not for the beginning Pre-Columbian art collector, and worthy of a seasoned and curated collection. BE WARY of Chontal and other Pre-Columbian objects listed on eBay by a dealer with "antiquarian" in their name. This prolific dealer has admitted in private messages that he is producing forgeries on a massive scale and is quite notorious in the Pre-Columbian art collecting community. Acquired from an old and significant ethnographic art collection in Los Angeles County, California. If you like what you see, I encourage you to make an Offer. Please check out my other listings for more wonderful and unique artworks! About this Artwork: Ancient Mesoamerican cultures are thought to be some of the most spiritually conscious groups, not through written word but through their artistic creations. While the true meaning of these items has been lost to the sands of time, their symbolic meanings have been extrapolated from similar examples and item typologies. Later Mesoamerican peoples clearly cherished their portable sculptures as heirlooms. Chontal creations have been unearthed in ritual caches at Templo Mayor, the principal temple of the fifteenth-century Aztecs of Tenochtitlan (Mexico City). The Guerrero region of modern-day southwestern Mexico was the center of the Mezcala and Chontal stone carving traditions. While Mezcala artists are known for their abstract, geometric style, the Chontal sculptors imbued their artworks with more naturalism. The Chontal culture, dated from 350 – 100 B.C., is, next to the Mezcala culture, one of the most representative artistic traditions of the State of Guerrero, in the south-west of Mexico. Its stone sculptures mainly represent masks or human figures. It differs from its Mezcala neighbor by its more naturalist style, visible into the features of the face and the recurrent curves. The Chontal civilization remains relatively unknown and mysterious, but its stone sculptures fascinate with their sobriety and their pursuit of essentiality.

Price: 3500 USD

Location: Orange, California

End Time: 2025-01-06T01:23:15.000Z

Shipping Cost: N/A USD