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HOME :
Pre-Columbian Art :
Olmec Jade : Olmec Jade Bust
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Olmec Jade Bust - PF.5811
Origin: Mexico
Circa: 900
BC
to 300
BC
Dimensions:
3.625" (9.2cm) high
Collection: Pre-Columbian
Style: Olmec
Medium: Jade
$5,000.00
Location: United States
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| Description |
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The Olmecs are generally considered to be the ultimate
ancestor of all subsequent Mesoamerican civilisations.
Thriving between about 1200 and 400 BC, their base was
the tropical lowlands of south central Mexico, an area
characterized by swamps punctuated by low hill ridges and
volcanoes. Here the Olmecs practiced advanced farming
techniques and constructed permanent settlements,
including San Lorenzo Tenochtitlán, La Venta, Tres
Zapotes, Laguna de los Cerros, and La Mojarra. However,
the consolidation of their city-states led to notable
cultural influence far beyond their heartland, and
throughout the Mesoamerican region. This was confirmed
in 2005 with the use of NAA (Neutron Activation Analysis)
and petrography to demonstrate the spread of Olmec
ceramic vessels. It would appear that the Olmec style
became synonymous with elite status in other
(predominantly highland) groups, with evidence for
exchange of artefacts in both directions. A non-literate
group, the Olmecs nevertheless paved the way for the
development of writing systems in the loosely defined
Epi- Olmec period (c. 500 BC). Further innovations include
arguably the first use of the zero, so instrumental in the
Maya long count vigesimal calendrical system. They also
appear to have been the originators of the famous
Mesoamerican ballgame so prevalent among later cultures
in the region, and either retained or invented several
religious symbols such as the feathered serpent and the
rain spirit, which persisted in subsequent and related
cultures until the middle ages.
Comparatively little is known of their magico-religious
world, although the clues that we have are tantalising. The
art forms for which the Olmecs are best known, the
monumental stone heads weighing up to forty tons, are
generally assumed to pertain to some form of kingly leader
or possibly an ancestor. The smaller jade figures and celts
of which this is one are believed to be domestically or
institutionally based totems or divinities. The quality of
production is astonishing, particularly if one considers the
technology available for production, the early date of the
pieces, and the dearth of earlier works upon which the
Olmec sculptors could draw. Some pieces are highly
stylised, while others demonstrate striking naturalism with
interpretation of some facial features (notably down-
turned mouths and slit eyes) that can be clearly seen in
the current work.
This bust depicts
such a colossal head type in miniature, now
connected to the upper portion of a body. This
figure is most likely the representation of a great
king or high priest or perhaps was a container
for the spirit of a deceased ancestor who was
continually revered and honored. As great
civilizations rise and fall, they leave behind traces
of their power. The most sacred ritualistic
objects continue to exert a force beyond time
and the hands that once held them sacred. A
mysterious energy still radiates from the core of
this jade carving.
- (PF.5811)
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