Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Colima, 300 BCE to 300 CE. A great collection of 6 obsidian stone tools intended for a variety of utilitarian or ritualistic purposes. The first is an elongated blade with random small flaking patterns on both faces which are slightly convex. The edges are serrated from knapping and taper to a rounded tip. The other four tools have one convex face with broad flaking strokes, and the other face is flat with a polished and highly reflective surface. The smallest item in the group is an obsidian core, with a cylindrical flat base and tip. The core was originally cone shaped, but the sides are fluted from creating individual razor-sharp blades. The blades were formed by applying pressure to the base of the core to flake off a part of the face, which created the fluted surface seen here. Obsidian was a hugely important resource in ancient Mesoamerica, traded far from its source in the volcanic zones of the Sierra Madre in Mexico and Guatemala. This is a nice collection that shows off the various uses and methods for creating obsidian tools. Size of largest tool: 6.25" L x 1.5" W (15.9 cm x 3.8 cm); case: 12.25" L x 2" W x 8.25" H (31.1 cm x 5.1 cm x 21 cm)

Obsidian - also known as "iztli" - fascinated the ancient Mesoamericans; the Aztecs even had a god, Tezcatlipoca, who was the Lord of the Smoking Obsidian Mirror. The shockingly sharp edges and point of this piece demonstrate its great allure. In a world without metal, this sharp quality was 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 Guatemala, traded hundreds of miles to meet the demand for sharp cutting tools and ritual objects, and then were struck using a deer antler or small hammer stone to form blades and other shapes.

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

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#162478

Chips and nicks to all as expected with age and use. Forms are well preserved. Light mineral deposits. Displayed in Riker case.