Rare Taino (1000-1500 CE) Ceremonial Monolithic Axe. Made of a fine grained hard stone similar to basalt. In the form of a snake's head resting at the top of the stone blade, with its tail extending down the handle. Looking at the back of the snake's head, a bird's likeness emerges, possibly a reference to Mesoamerican snake-bird (Quetzalcoatl), a mythological being extending back to the first century BC and a symbol of royalty. Two other bird heads, on either side of the ax, reiterate the avian symbolism. Size: 12'' x 4'' x 1.25'' (30 x 10 x 3 cm). Provenance: Larry Roberts, author of Taino Sculpture: Art of the Gods.