Pre-Columbian, Maya Territories, Maya, ca. 200 to 900 CE. A wonderful metate and pestle, both carved from stone and enveloped in natural hues of umber, sienna, taupe, light grey, and puce. The pair boasts chic minimalist forms. Sitting upon three triangular legs, the ancient metate is carved from porous volcanic stone. The grinding surface of the metate is angled at a slight slant and exhibits a thick, rectangular form with a gently concave face. Alternatively, the pestle or grinder is lighter in color and displays a cylindrical form that is flat on both ends. Metate, a type of quern or grinding stone, are the Mesoamerican twist on a near-universal artifact of agricultural communities: the necessary tool for processing grain and seeds. The level of artistry required to carve this from a single piece of stone suggests that it was a valued object whose worth went beyond the utilitarian. Size of largest: 10.625" L x 7.625" W x 6.625" H (27 cm x 19.4 cm x 16.8 cm)

Provenance: private Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA collection

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#162640

Expected surface wear with some minor losses to periphery and legs of metate, nicks/chips to both, and abraded area on ends of pestle/grinder, all commensurate with age and use. Otherwise, excellent with lovely earthen deposits throughout.