Along the region of the Rio Mezcala in the central portion of the Mexican state of Guerrero, an ancient culture evolved which created highly expressive stone ritual objects such as this stunning anthropomorphic axe. Possibly springing from the same roots as the famous Olmec culture, the people of Mezcala imbued these Celts, axes used for hafting, with both magical and spiritual properties. The masterful Mezcala artists who created these dynamic ritual Celts developed a powerful style of abstraction remarkably close to that of many modern artists. In stone carvings such as this, a few deftly chiseled lines and shapes produce an abstracted human figure that clearly expresses all the essential elements of its being. Here we experience a figure whose power and magnetism not only flows from its majestic form but also shimmers in the reflected light that radiates from the figures smooth, stone surface. To behold this sculpted figure is to become intimately involved with a remarkable work of art, one whose timeless spirit reaches far into the deep levels of our own modern sensibilities, touching a chord that is at once both contemporary and primitive.