Lot 189, Auction 3/19/2026: Maya Greenstone Face Pendant – Classic Period

$325.00

In stock

Pre-Columbian, Mesoamerica, Maya, Classic period, ca. 600 to 900 CE. A compact yet expressive greenstone pendant carved in the form of a stylized human head, this Maya ornament distills identity and presence into a carefully reduced sculptural form. The face is rendered with softly modeled features, including prominent almond shaped eyes, a broad nose, and a closed mouth, all emerging from a squared, cylindrical head that emphasizes geometry over naturalism. Carved from mottled greenstone, the surface displays varied tones of deep green, gray, and earthy inclusions, the result of both the stone’s natural composition and long burial. The reverse is pierced with two suspension holes, indicating it was intended to be worn, likely as a pendant or attachment to ritual attire. Such perforation suggests the object functioned not merely as adornment, but as a marker of status, identity, or spiritual affiliation. Size: 0.7″ W x 1.1″ H (1.8 cm x 2.8 cm)

Greenstone held profound significance in Maya culture, associated with life force, fertility, maize, and renewal. Objects carved from jadeite and related stones were reserved for elite use and frequently appear in ceremonial, funerary, and dynastic contexts. Stylized human faces such as this example may represent ancestors, deified individuals, or idealized human forms, serving as conduits between the living and the sacred.

Small in scale yet conceptually dense, this pendant reflects the Maya ability to encode cosmological meaning within restrained forms. It stands as a vivid example of Classic period lapidary skill and the enduring symbolic power attributed to greenstone across the Maya world.

Condition: Weathering to surface with softening of detail, but, otherwise, intact and wearable.

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

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all purchases.

We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.