US DOLLAR
EURO
AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR
CANADIAN DOLLAR
POUND STERLING
Product Description
SEE MORE PRE-COLUMBIAN ARTIFACTS
Because it was the "first" Pre-Columbian culture of Mesoamerica, and venerated by, as well as an influence to so many later Pre-Columbian civilizations, objects from the mysterious Olmec Empire have a cult following amongst seasoned collectors. The sudden appearance of this highly developed culture, which produced the mysterious colossal helmeted stone heads, still puzzles scientists with many unanswered questions. Where they came from and where they disappeared to, remains a mystery today. They were a legendary people even in ancient times, and were revered by many Pre-Columbian cultures that followed them. Their artifacts are in strong demand today just as much as they were by the ancient Mayan and Aztec people who often would dig up older Olmec objects and re-bury them in their temples.
This INCREDIBLE MUSEUM-CLASS Olmec figural carved stone mace is of an elite warrior human head, identical in style and features to the famous Olmec colossal stone heads. The mace shows an elite-class warrior with a carved, three-dimensional featured face, wearing a helmet. The helmet design can be seen engraved on the sides and top of the front of the face. A broad nose and full lips have been carved in raised relief. Amazingly, the ancient iridescent shell eyes are 100% original and are still attached to the stone by the ancient bitumen tar, seen in the close-up photos above. A rainbow effect of different colors, plays out in the shell eyes when the mace head is moved in strong light. Because of this mace's subject matter, a royal-class military figure, it is most likely this was carried by a soldier of who the mace represents - a ruling, noble warrior. In battle, the display and wielding of this mace would signify to all others, the soldier bearing this mace is of the highest rank and ruling class.
The stone is a type of white hardstone that has been discolored from over two thousand years of age. Ancient calcite and other mineral deposits are attached to the surfaces, and also in the drilled shaft hole, providing irrefutable proof of its original condition and authenticity.
Olmec weapons are EXTREMELY RARE, and seldom ever found or offered for sale. Attributing an object to the Olmec culture most often requires the presence of identifiable anatomical features of the Olmec themselves. While this is usually found in art objects, rarely is it shown on a weapon. In this extremely rare case, you have undeniable Olmecoid features in the human head that this mace displays. Even the presence of the helmet shows identical features found in the mysterious giant stone heads they left behind. This is the only object in private hands of its kind, we can recall ever seeing in nearly 4 decades of our business and experience!
HISTORY
The Olmec are best known for the enormous helmeted heads they left behind, each carved from of a single massive rock boulder. There is no known Pre-Columbian text that describes or mentions the reason or presence of these megalithic art structures and they have been the subject of much speculation. Some have theorized they were ballplayers but current belief is that they are portraits of rulers. Some have even described the heads as being effigies of ancient astronauts from another galaxy. How they were made or transported by such an early civilization, remains a complete mystery. The heads are all unique in their facial features but all have distinct, common elements in the helmet styles. The Olmecs can be considered the "mother culture" for all subsequent Pre-Columbian cultures of Mesoamerica.
In addition to their influence as the first civilization in Mesoamerica, the Olmecs are credited, or speculatively credited, with many "firsts", including the practice of bloodletting (and perhaps human sacrifice), writing and epigraphy. They are also credited with the invention of the concept of 'zero' and the Mesoamerican calendar, as well as the Mesoamerican ballgame and even perhaps, the compass.
The Olmec culture was first defined as an art style, and this continues to be the hallmark of the culture. Handworks were made in a variety of media such as jade, clay, basalt, and greenstone, for example. Many examples of Olmec art are surprisingly naturalistic. Other art expresses fantastic anthropomorphic creatures, often highly stylized, using an iconography reflective of a religious meaning. Their grasp of human anatomy and emotion is unrivaled by any other Pre-Columbian culture of Mesoamerica.