Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Colima, ca. 300 BCE to 300 CE. A magnificent ensemble of 7 hand-knapped obsidian pectoral pendants/beads, each one rendered in a curved shape perhaps intended to conjure lunar crescents, with perforations at either end for suspension. Obsidian carvings were coveted offerings found in Colima tombs. Colima, located on Mexico's southwestern coast, was part of the shaft tomb tradition, along with neighbors to the north in Jalisco and Nayarit. In this culture, the deceased were interred in shafts, approximately 3 to 20 meters deep, that were dug vertically or near vertically through the volcanic tuff that makes up the geology of the region. The base of the shaft would open into one or more horizontal chambers with low ceilings. These shafts were almost always dug beneath a dwelling, probably a family home, and scholars posit that they were likely used as family mausoleums, housing the remains of many related individuals. Size of largest: 8" L x 0.625" W (20.3 cm x 1.6 cm); Size of frame: 12.25" L x 8.25" W (31.1 cm x 21 cm)

Obsidian - "iztli" to them - fascinated the ancient Mesoamericans; the Aztecs even had a god, Tezcatlipoca, who was the Lord of the Smoking Obsidian Mirror; indeed obsidian was used to create mirrors as well. Furthermore, in a world without metal, obsidian's ability to be sharp was also especially important for ceremonies of ritual bloodletting and human sacrifice. The difficult-to-obtain material came from volcanic sources in the Sierra Madre of Mexico and in Guatemala, was traded hundreds of miles to meet the demand for sharp cutting tools and ritual objects, and then was struck using a deer antler or small hammer stones to form blades and coveted forms like these.

Provenance: private Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA collection; ex-Dr. David Harner collection, Springdale, Arkansas, USA, acquired between the 1950s and 1960s

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#162510

Nicks to peripheries of all items commensurate with knapping process, with light abrasions and encrustations to faces. Otherwise, intact and excellent. Great surface smoothness throughout.