**Originally Listed At $600**

Pre-Columbian, Belize, Altun Ha and Nohmul, Maya, Late Classic Period, ca. 550 to 900 CE. Three large knapped chert stone daggers or tools with long blades and wide shoulders. The chert is a smokey beige with orange highlights and creamy inclusions. These blades were created by hitting a harder stone against the chert to flake or knap the edges to sharp points with a midrib down the center area. The verso is flat, and a short handle or tang extends from the shoulders. Daggers like these examples have been found at several archaeological sites throughout southern Mesoamerica and the Caribbean. Although they are called "daggers," they are only found in ritual deposits, and their forms suggest a ceremonial purpose rather than a utilitarian one. While a simple process, knapping took quite a bit of skill and patience, because any stroke that was too strong could break the chert or flake off more than the desired amount! Size largest: 7.5" L x 2" W (19 cm x 5.1 cm)

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

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#146378

Minor nicks and chips to peripheries that are not from the knapping process. Mineral deposits and nice stone inclusions. Find sites written on surfaces.