Nice Tairona Greenstone Axe Head

Pre-Columbian, Colombia, Tairona culture, ca. 800 to 1500 CE. A beautiful axe head of unusual and sturdy form that is hand-carved from mottled sage-green stone with dark gray, khaki, cream, and dark green inclusions. The tool features a broad, crescent-shaped blade head, a thick neck, and a rectangular handle with a biconically drilled suspension hole along the top. When the handle is gripped, the heel of one's hand fits comfortably along the longer side of the blade. The green hues of the stone were a symbolic representation of fertility, and this blade likely served a ritualistic rather than utilitarian purpose and may have been buried with the deceased. Size: 6.6" L x 5.3" W (16.8 cm x 13.5 cm)

Provenance: private J. Hart collection, Houston, Texas, USA, acquired mid-1970's

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#167487
Condition Report: Minor nicks and abrasions to blade head and handle, with light pitting to scattered areas, otherwise intact and excellent. Great stone coloration and surface smoothness throughout.