Maya Mottled Jade Plaque, Seated Lord, Hand-on-Knee Pose
Pre-Columbian, Mesoamerica, Maya, ca. 500–800 CE. A small jade plaque carved in profile with a seated dignitary, one hand resting upon a raised knee in the posture of rulership familiar from Classic Maya thrones and stelae. The mottled stone ranges from creamy white to pale blue-green, its crystalline veining left visible across the low-relief surface. Details are cut with string-sawn grooves and shallow incision, the eye, ear, and headdress reduced to elegant abbreviation. Two biconical suspension holes pierce the piece for wear as a pectoral or belt ornament. Jade of this quality was the most precious material in the Maya world, and such personal ornaments likely marked elite rank in life and accompanied their owners into the tomb. Size: 2.25" W x 1.5" H (5.7 cm W x 3.8 cm H).
To the Maya, jade (chalchihuitl in the later Nahua term, but for the Maya, yax, "green/blue," the color of maize shoots and standing water) carried the essence of breath, rain, and fertility. All Mesoamerican jadeite derives from a single geological corridor, the Motagua River valley of highland Guatemala, and its distribution traced the trade and tribute networks that bound Classic-period courts together. Worked without metal tools, jade was shaped by abrasion with string, sand, and harder stone, then drilled biconically from both faces, a process that could occupy an artisan for weeks. Seated figures in this cross-legged, hand-on-knee attitude echo the enthroned rulers of monumental sculpture and painted vases, transposing courtly authority onto an object small enough to be worn against the body.
Provenance: Ex. Emily Mead collection, Santa Fe. Ex. Anthony Carnaggio, NYC.
SHIPPING: We coordinate worldwide shipping in-house through specialist international forwarders experienced with fine art and antiquities customs manifests. International buyers must confirm, prior to bidding, that their country's customs authority will accept the item. All duties, taxes, clearance fees, and any costs arising from customs delays, seizures, re-export, returns, or loss in transit are the buyer's sole responsibility. Artemis assumes no liability for items refused entry, detained, or lost after export. We cannot ship ancient items to their country of origin (Egyptian to Egypt, Greek to Greece, etc.).For those not using LiveAuctioneers' Live Ship program, Artemis Fine Arts offers expert in-house packing and worldwide shipping. With over 20 years of experience, our team provides careful, reliable, and affordable service. For a quick quote on this lot, please contact support@artemisfinearts.com prior to the auction, or call 720-890-7700.
PAYMENT EXCEPTION: For clients not previously established with Artemis, payment for all gold, precious metal, and gemstone lots must be made by bank wire transfer or certified bank check/money order, without exception.
Item #
73059
Condition
Intact, Excellent condition.
Buyer's Premium
30%
Pre-Columbian, Mesoamerica, Maya, ca. 500–800 CE. A small jade plaque carved in profile with a seated dignitary, one hand resting upon a raised knee in the posture of rulership familiar from Classic Maya thrones and stelae. The mottled stone ranges from creamy white to pale blue-green, its crystalline veining left visible across the low-relief surface. Details are cut with string-sawn grooves and shallow incision, the eye, ear, and headdress reduced to elegant abbreviation. Two biconical suspension holes pierce the piece for wear as a pectoral or belt ornament. Jade of this quality was the most precious material in the Maya world, and such personal ornaments likely marked elite rank in life and accompanied their owners into the tomb. Size: 2.25" W x 1.5" H (5.7 cm W x 3.8 cm H).
To the Maya, jade (chalchihuitl in the later Nahua term, but for the Maya, yax, "green/blue," the color of maize shoots and standing water) carried the essence of breath, rain, and fertility. All Mesoamerican jadeite derives from a single geological corridor, the Motagua River valley of highland Guatemala, and its distribution traced the trade and tribute networks that bound Classic-period courts together. Worked without metal tools, jade was shaped by abrasion with string, sand, and harder stone, then drilled biconically from both faces, a process that could occupy an artisan for weeks. Seated figures in this cross-legged, hand-on-knee attitude echo the enthroned rulers of monumental sculpture and painted vases, transposing courtly authority onto an object small enough to be worn against the body.
Provenance: Ex. Emily Mead collection, Santa Fe. Ex. Anthony Carnaggio, NYC.
SHIPPING: We coordinate worldwide shipping in-house through specialist international forwarders experienced with fine art and antiquities customs manifests. International buyers must confirm, prior to bidding, that their country's customs authority will accept the item. All duties, taxes, clearance fees, and any costs arising from customs delays, seizures, re-export, returns, or loss in transit are the buyer's sole responsibility. Artemis assumes no liability for items refused entry, detained, or lost after export. We cannot ship ancient items to their country of origin (Egyptian to Egypt, Greek to Greece, etc.).For those not using LiveAuctioneers' Live Ship program, Artemis Fine Arts offers expert in-house packing and worldwide shipping. With over 20 years of experience, our team provides careful, reliable, and affordable service. For a quick quote on this lot, please contact support@artemisfinearts.com prior to the auction, or call 720-890-7700.
PAYMENT EXCEPTION: For clients not previously established with Artemis, payment for all gold, precious metal, and gemstone lots must be made by bank wire transfer or certified bank check/money order, without exception.
Item #
73059
Condition
Intact, Excellent condition.
Buyer's Premium
30%
