Pre-Columbian, Caribbean Islands, Taino people, ca. 15th century CE. An astounding ceremonial stone axe head pecked and polished into the form of an owl, the bird's head forming an elegant finial. The cylindrical handle has a slightly flared pommel tip, a smooth grip, and the stone itself is beautiful with a mottled green and black surface and shimmering mica flecks. The cross-section between blade and butt end has a shallow ovoid impression, and encircling grooves around the basal areas of the blade, handle, and butt. The finial head is a stylized owl, the enormous round eyes are slightly indented and the petite beak points downward. The oblong blade can be viewed as the wings raised in flight, with the lower butt end as the bird's talons ready to grab. The owl is integrated into the axe as a decorative element that likely symbolizes a ritualistic purpose rather than utilitarian. Size: 7.65" L x 5" W (19.4 cm x 12.7 cm); 7.5" H (19 cm) on included custom stand.

Taino spirituality revolved around ancestor and spirit worship via carved stone figures called "zemis" that embodied the spirits and deity figures the Taino venerated. In Taino culture death was considered a transitory period; the boundaries between life and death seem to have felt more porous to the Taino than they do to us today. Owls, as nocturnal hunters, represented the underworld and thought to carry opias (hupias) - the spirits of the recently deceased - to the next stage of existence and these bird's hoots and screeches were omens believed to announce impending death or the arrival of spirits from the beyond. Shamans communicated with owls during rituals to coax the opias of the seriously ill or recently deceased, back to their bodies.

Provenance: private Florida, USA collection, acquired 1950 through 1980, thence to current owner by inheritance

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#168347

Abrasion and loss to surface layer on owl head between eyes. Stable fissure around the handle near cross-section. Minor surface abrasions and chips to high pointed areas and blade. Rare form with gorgeous coloration throughout.