**Originally Listed At $250**

Pre-Columbian, Mexico City region, Aztec, ca. 1300 to 1500 CE. A ceramic spindle whorl with its sides incised with stepped motifs, as well as approximately twenty black stone seed beads and two slightly larger beads, one blue and one green, strung on a modern oxidized silver, gun metal grey chain with a tassle of chain hanging below the spindle whorl pendant. Length of chain: 24" L (61 cm); size of spindle whorl: 1.2" W (3 cm)

Aztec spindle whorls are found decorated only about 20% of the time, making this a rare pendant. Researchers have suggested that the intricate decorations on spindle whorls were part of the attachment that women felt to the objects they used to produce goods, meaning that they took great pride and probably a sense of identity in their work. However, there is also a dark side to Aztec spindle whorls -- they are found more commonly during the Aztec period throughout Mexico than in any preceding periods, suggesting that the Aztec demand for tribute in the form of woven textiles was very high. Women probably worked much more at producing textiles than they had earlier in time. The stories behind the spindle whorls are an interesting compliment to their artistry!

Provenance: private Denver, Colorado USA collection

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#130613

Small chips from ceramic surface and a small adhesive mark from an old collection number on its underside. Wear commensurate with age on the beads. Modern stringing.