Pre-Columbian, Mexico and Guatemala, Mayan Territories, Late Classic, ca. 550 to 900 CE. A collection of thirty-four irregularly-shaped jadeite beads, of varying beautiful colors, ranging from very pale, almost mint green to dark blue-green. Also a votive celt (hand axe), completely smoothed, drilled for suspension, made from blue-green jadeite. Size of celt: 2" W x 1.2" H (5.1 cm x 3 cm)

The value of jade for people in ancient Central America lay in its symbolic power: perhaps its color was associated with water and vegetation; the Maya would place jade beads in the mouths of the dead. Many scholars have argued that the demand for jadeite contributed to the rise of long distance trading networks and to the rise of urban centers in ancient Mesoamerica.

Provenance: private Illinois, USA collection

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#127288

All have surface wear commensurate with age, with patina from handling and light encrustation.