Lot 53, Auction 4/12/2026: Mezcala Greenstone Flat Figural Amulet

$390.00

In stock

Pre-Columbian, Mesoamerica, Guerrero region, Mezcala culture, ca. 300 BCE to 650 CE. A powerfully reductive stone figure, this Mezcala greenstone amulet distills the human form to its barest essentials, transforming anatomy into geometry with deliberate restraint. The flattened silhouette rises vertically, its head, shoulders, and torso articulated through shallow planes and subtle notches rather than modeled detail, a hallmark of Mezcala sculptural tradition. Carved from mottled greenstone, the surface bears a softly weathered patina that testifies to age, handling, and burial. A small perforation near the upper torso suggests the figure was suspended as a personal amulet, likely worn on the body or attached to garments. Such figures are widely understood to have functioned as talismans or symbolic representations of ancestors, deities, or abstracted human presence, though their precise meanings remain intentionally elusive. Size: 1.5″ W x 5.1″ H (3.8 cm x 13 cm)

Mezcala figures are renowned for their modern appearance long before modernism existed. Their emphasis on abstraction, symmetry, and frontal orientation has drawn frequent comparisons to 20th century sculptural aesthetics, yet their purpose was deeply embedded in ritual and belief systems of ancient Guerrero. This example embodies that tension beautifully, at once austere and expressive, minimal yet charged with presence.

Condition: Weathering to surface with flaking, chipping, nicks, and abrasions, all commensurate with age. Liberal remaining detail. Wearable as a pendant.

Provenance: private Colorado, USA collection; ex-private Los Angeles, California, USA collection; ex-major gallery, Beverly Hills, California, USA, primarily acquired between 1985 and 2005

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.