Pre-Columbian, Venezuela, Trujillo, ca. 300 to 1100 CE. A very large bat pendant, carefully carved from a mottled dark grey stone - perhaps serpentine or steatite - with large outspread, rounded wings and a trapezoidal head with perforated eyes. In Venezuela, most bat species have been found in caves in the northeastern Andes, and the western and central parts of the Caribbean mountains. Although the stone for this piece is not native to the Venezuelan Andes, it was most likely traded from the northern edge of South America. Size: 6.625" W x 2.375" H (16.8 cm x 6 cm); 4.75" H (12.1 cm) on included custom stand.

In the Pre-Columbian world, bats have traditionally been associated with rain and fertility. These nocturnal creatures who swoop and dart in the night sky symbolize the dark thunderclouds of rainstorms and are closely connected with maize production and by extension fertility of humankind. This exquisite piece captures the impressive wingspan of this creature as he navigates the darkness of night. An exquisite piece of wearable art, this bat pendant is special for its symbolism as well as its aesthetic qualities.

Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection; ex-Hugo Collection, Florence, Italy

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#132563

Excellent save tiny, barely perceptible nicks to peripheries.