Pre-Columbian Antiquities from Central America and the Caribbean

Pre-Columbian artifacts of the Caribbean area mostly come from the Greater Antilles islands of Puerto Rico, Jamaica, and Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic). The principal people to inhabit this area were the Arawak, who were known as the Taíno. The most characteristic objects are made of bone, wood, and stone, and include spatulas for inducing vomiting for religious purification; dujos, or carved wooden stools for chiefs or priests; and zemi, or triangular stones carved with human or animal features representing major natural spirits and deities. Pottery included incised pots with geometric designs and effigy vessels in human shapes.

Costa Rican Jade Bead Necklace

Necklace comprised of 55 ancient beads -- 5 jade beads and 50 pottery beads -- in various forms and colors ranging from light green to white to gray. From Costa Rica, dating...

$275.00
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Costa Rican Bird-Form Mace Head

Gorgeous! Ancient Pre-Columbian Stone Mace Head from Costa Rica, Nicoya culture, ca. 500-1000 A.D. Hand-carved from a single piece of hard, white stone, with a hollow, slip

$1,950.00
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Costa Rican Zoomorphic Bowl

Unusual form! Ancient Pre-Columbian Bowl from Costa Rica, ca. 1000 – 1500 AD. Polychrome pottery with stylized human/zoomorphic features on front and sides.

$695.00
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Pre-Columbian Gold Turtle - Chiriqui-Diquis

Ancient gold turtle from the Chiriqui-Diquis region of Costa Rica, ca. 800 to 1200 A.D. With unusual split tail, legs ceremonially "killed" in ancient times.

$4,995.00
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Teotihuacan Eccentric Flint Human Figure

Unusual form! Teotihuacan Eccentric "flint" in the form of a human figure, ca. 400 - 600 A.D. Knapped greenish-black obsidian (volcanic glass).

$1,975.00
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Did you know?

Taíno culture was the most highly developed in the Caribbean when Columbus reached Hispaniola in 1492. Islands throughout the Greater Antilles were dotted with Taíno communities nestled in valleys and along the rivers and coastlines, some of which were inhabited by thousands of people.