Pre-Columbian, southern Mexico, Guerrero region, Mezcala culture, ca. 600 to 200 BCE. An attractive figure of abstract anthropomorphic stylization that is hand-carved from mottled green-hued stone with khaki, dark gray, and forest green inclusions. The intriguing figure features deep, string-cut grooves that delineate the legs and neckline as well as the arms held along the waistline. The bulbous head features a pair of slightly recessed orbitals, a flush nose with a rounded nasal ridge, and a petite mouth, all beneath a slightly mounded brow. These figures are known as "axe gods" because scholars believe ancient Mesoamerican artisans repurposes broken stone axe heads into recognizably human figures when the axe head was damaged or rendered unusable. Size: 1.86" W x 4.26" H (4.7 cm x 10.8 cm)

Provenance: private Lumberton, Texas, USA collection, acquired before 2010

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#169629

Minor pitting and pecking marks across most surfaces, with softening to some recognizable facial features, and light encrustations within some string-cut areas, otherwise intact and very good. Great surface smoothness throughout.