Lot 203, Auction 3/19/2026: Costa Rican Stone Avian Celt Beaded Necklace

$650.00

In stock

Pre-Columbian, Central America, Costa Rica, ca. 800 to 1200 CE. An elegant necklace centered on a Costa Rican greenstone avian pendant, its softly abstracted form capturing the grace and symbolism of bird imagery long associated with spiritual flight, transformation, and elevated identity in ancient Central America. Carved in cool greenstone with a naturally mottled surface, the pendant shows gentle wear that enhances its organic presence and sense of age. The necklace incorporates fourteen Costa Rican greenstone beads of varied shapes and profiles, each retaining the tactile irregularity characteristic of pre-Columbian lapidary work. These ancient elements have been thoughtfully restrung on a modern cord with discreet modern plastic spacer beads and finished with a magnetic clasp, allowing the piece to be worn comfortably while clearly distinguishing ancient materials from later additions. Size of pendant: 2.5″ L x 1″ W (6.4 cm x 2.5 cm); of necklace: 23.75″ L (60.3 cm)

Avian imagery held particular resonance in Costa Rican cultures, where birds were understood as intermediaries between earthly and celestial realms, and greenstone was closely linked to power, fertility, and social status. The pendant and beads together suggest an adornment that once conveyed meaning and identity, now reimagined as a wearable object that carries history with quiet confidence. Both visually striking and easy to wear, this necklace offers a refined way to engage with the material legacy of ancient Costa Rica, balancing beauty, symbolism, and contemporary design.

Condition: Ancient greenstone pendant and beads strung on a modern strand with modern plastic beads and a magnetic clasp to be wearable. Expected weathering to stone, but otherwise beads and pendant are intact and excellent with smooth surfaces and liberal remaining detail.

Provenance: ex-Moore collection, Houston, Texas, USA

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.

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