Lot 37

2 Maya Chert Stone Blades

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Lot 37
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2 Maya Chert Stone Blades
2 Maya Chert Stone Blades
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2 Maya Chert Stone Blades

Estimate: $1,000 - $1,500

Starting Bid: $400

(0 Bids)
by Artemis Fine Arts
August 6, 2026 9:00 AM MDT
Live Auction
686 S. Taylor Avenue
Suite 108
Louisville, CO, US 80027

Pre-Columbian, Maya Territories, Belize, ca. 500 - 1000 CE. A refined pair of medium-brown chert blades whose glossy, rippling flake scars testify to expert craftsmanship and lend a striking visual rhythm. Each elongated, tapering form was bifacially worked by percussion with fine pressure retouch to create keen converging edges and a lenticular section; the subtly narrowed basal ends are consistent with hafting to a wooden or bone grip. The chert displays attractive variegation with lighter mineral inclusions, enhancing the surfaces shaped by overshot removals and hinge terminations typical of skilled knapping. Knives of this type served practical cutting functions yet also bore ritual significance within Maya society; closely comparable chert bifaces are recorded from cave and river contexts in Belize, where they were likely consecrated as offerings.

Provenance: private southwestern Pennsylvania, USA collection, acquired prior to 2000

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Item # 202068

  • Condition: A few minor chips to edges else quite fine. No repairs.

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000