Lot 68

Taino Stone Grooved Axe Head - Hafted Celt Form

Previous image preload Next image preload
Back to catalog
Lot 68
image_0 image_1
Taino Stone Grooved Axe Head - Hafted Celt Form
Taino Stone Grooved Axe Head - Hafted Celt Form
image_0 image_1

Taino Stone Grooved Axe Head - Hafted Celt Form

Estimate: $700 - $1,000

Starting Bid: $350

(0 Bids)
by Artemis Fine Arts
June 25, 2026 9:00 AM MDT (In Progress)
Live Auction
686 S. Taylor Avenue
Suite 108
Louisville, CO, US 80027

Pre-Columbian, Greater Antilles, Taino, ca. 1000–1500 CE. A weighty implement pecked and ground from a single cobble of grayish granular stone, its silhouette flaring into broad winged lobes on either side of a deep central groove. That encircling channel, the defining feature, was worked to seat a bent wooden withe or fiber lashing, binding the head securely to a haft and transforming raw stone into a tool of real force. The surface retains the dimpled texture of percussion shaping, softened by abrasion and long handling. Such grooved axes and mauls served the Taino and related Antillean peoples in clearing forest, working timber for canoes and houses, and likely in ritualized labor as well. Heavier and blunter than the polished petaloid celt, this form speaks to the muscular practicalities of island life before contact. Size: 7.3" W x 7.7" H (18.5 cm W x 19.6 cm H).

The Taino, the dominant culture of the Greater Antilles (Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Jamaica) at the moment of European arrival, were skilled stoneworkers whose lithic repertoire ranged from the polished ceremonial celts associated with conucos and cohoba ritual to robust utilitarian tools like this one. Grooved axe heads are comparatively uncommon in the Antilles relative to the ungrooved petaloid celt, and the technique of hafting via an encircling groove ties the form to broader circum-Caribbean and continental traditions of mounted stone tools.

Provenance: ex-private collection, Fairhaven, Massachusetts, USA, collected from 2010 to 2015

SHIPPING: We coordinate worldwide shipping in-house through specialist international forwarders experienced with fine art and antiquities customs manifests. International buyers must confirm, prior to bidding, that their country's customs authority will accept the item. All duties, taxes, clearance fees, and any costs arising from customs delays, seizures, re-export, returns, or loss in transit are the buyer's sole responsibility. Artemis assumes no liability for items refused entry, detained, or lost after export. We cannot ship ancient items to their country of origin (Egyptian to Egypt, Greek to Greece, etc.).

PAYMENT EXCEPTION: For clients not previously established with Artemis, payment for all gold, precious metal, and gemstone lots must be made by bank wire transfer or certified bank check/money order, without exception.

Item # 198600

  • Condition: Damaged. Chips, losses, and abrasions throughout. Light weathering film to surface.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

ACH, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Auction House will ship, at Buyer's expense

Artemis Fine Arts

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 30% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

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