Three Maya Stone Arrow Shaft Straightener Pendants (Auction 2026-06-05, Lot 58)

$385.50

Pre-Columbian, Mesoamerica, Maya, Post-Classic period, ca. 900 to 1500 CE. A group of three carved soapstone arrow shaft straighteners, each shaped as a flattened oval or rounded disk with a small perforation near the edge for suspension. The surfaces are smoothly worn from shaping and use, with subtle grooves or shallow depressions visible across the bodies of the stones. Their dark green to gray coloration and polished texture reflect the natural qualities of the soft stone from which they were carefully worked. Tools of this type were used by Indigenous archers to true wooden arrow shafts. The shaft would be heated and drawn across the grooved stone, allowing the maker to correct bends and ensure straight flight. The suspension holes allowed the objects to be worn as pendants or carried easily, keeping the tool readily accessible. Examples such as these illustrate the practical ingenuity of Maya craftsmanship, combining functional utility with portable design in objects essential to hunting and daily survival. Size of largest: 3.3″ L x 2.5″ W (8.4 cm x 6.4 cm)

Provenance: private southwestern Pennsylvania, USA collection, acquired February 1988 in Mexico City, Mexico

Condition: Good. Light weathering to surfaces, but, otherwise all three are intact, wearable, and in excellent condition with smooth surfaces and scattered earthen deposits. Each has an old collection label on verso.