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MAYA CIRCULAR PENDANT WITH JADE FACE
Culture: Maya Civilization
Date: c. 600–900 CE (Late Classic Period)
Materials: Jade, Gold plated brass
Dimensions: 7.5×7.5cm
Carved jadeite maskette depicting a stylized human face with abstracted geometric features, a hallmark of Late Classic Maya lapidary work. The green hue of the jadeite—valued by the Maya as a symbol of life force, fertility, and divine authority—provides a striking contrast to its encircling openwork frame of precious metal.
The radiating metal elements, evenly spaced around the perimeter, are composed of small rectangular segments adorned with raised patterns and connected to the central bezel by rod-like struts ending in spherical nodes. This radial arrangement may symbolize the sun’s rays, reinforcing associations with celestial power and rulership. The integration of jade and metal speaks to elite status, as both materials were restricted to high-ranking individuals within Maya society.
Provenance:
Origin uncertain; stylistically consistent with objects from the Maya lowlands (modern-day Guatemala, Mexico, Belize).
Culture: Maya Civilization
Date: c. 600–900 CE (Late Classic Period)
Materials: Jade, Gold plated brass
Dimensions: 7.5×7.5cm
Carved jadeite maskette depicting a stylized human face with abstracted geometric features, a hallmark of Late Classic Maya lapidary work. The green hue of the jadeite—valued by the Maya as a symbol of life force, fertility, and divine authority—provides a striking contrast to its encircling openwork frame of precious metal.
The radiating metal elements, evenly spaced around the perimeter, are composed of small rectangular segments adorned with raised patterns and connected to the central bezel by rod-like struts ending in spherical nodes. This radial arrangement may symbolize the sun’s rays, reinforcing associations with celestial power and rulership. The integration of jade and metal speaks to elite status, as both materials were restricted to high-ranking individuals within Maya society.
Provenance:
Origin uncertain; stylistically consistent with objects from the Maya lowlands (modern-day Guatemala, Mexico, Belize).
