Basalt Sculpture of a Standing Man Holding an Axe and a Trophey Head, 1000 CE - 1500 CE
Basalt
44.875
PF.2502
Expertly carved from a single piece of volcanic rock with only the use of stone and wood tools plus abrasives, this dramatic warrior figure is a brilliant example of the...
Expertly carved from a single piece of volcanic rock with only the use of stone and wood tools plus abrasives, this dramatic warrior figure is a brilliant example of the Pre-Columbian sculptural skills of the ancient artisans from the Antlantic Watershed zone of Costa Rica. Standing in an erect posture, the proud warrior holds the attributes of war. In his left hand he holds up a shrunken trophy head, as if proudly displaying for us, while in his right hand he grasps his indispensable weapon of war, the double-bitted axe. About his waist a bark or cloth armor is depicted through the artist's clever use of incised geometric patterns. A flat hat decorated through the artist's clever use of incised goemetric patterns also adorns the head of this ancient warrior. To experience this magnificent work of ancient stone sculpting is to engage ourselves in a magical journey through time and space, for this powerful carved stone warrior continues to elicit sensory responses from all who behold him, whether it be past or present.
Literature
V11