Pre-Columbian, Guatemala, Maya, Late Classic Period, ca. 550 to 900 CE. A stunning Maya earspool that is carved from stone with a massive diameter and flared top. The surface is covered with a mottled calcite layer with white with pale gray and cool green hues scattered throughout. There are 2 hand-drilled perforations next to each other for securing the spool in place. The large size and the perforations suggest this may have been worn as part of a headdress, rather than in the ear. The Maya believed that ears were the conduits for spiritual energy, and so ear ornaments like these took on significant meaning. Some scholars have argued that the stretching of earlobes - done progressively through spool sizes to limit tearing and pain - may have been a rite of passage from childhood to adulthood for the Maya. Size: 3" Diameter x 1.5" H (7.6 cm x 3.8 cm)

Provenance: private Lumberton, Texas, USA collection; ex-Heritage Auctions

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#169377

Chips and nicks to the rim and flared areas peripheries, otherwise spool is intact and very good. Calcite deposits across the entire surface and nice root marks!