Maya Obsidian Eccentric Flint of a Serpent Late Classic, Circa 550 - 950 AD

André Emmerich, New York
European Private Collection, acquired from the above on October 22, 1966

Overall excellent condition. Tip of nose missing as shown. Tiny loss at tip of the back of the head. No breaks or repairs along the body.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

'...eccentrics were items of ritual and political theater.'

(Clark, Nelson, & Titmus, in Pillsbury et al., eds., Ancient Maya Art, 2012, p. 280)

Eccentric flints were highly prized ritual objects, usually made in specific numbers of sets as dedicatory offerings for sacred building and monuments. The Maya believed obsidian and flint were the incarnation of lightening as it struck the ground, the raw material was thus imbued with sacred power fit for the intricate workmanship of percussion flaking to create abstract and figural forms. Obsidian was procured only from the volcanic regions and thus a valued trade item.

The brilliant shine of obsidian was an ideal material representing the flash of lightening as the shimmering skin of a snake, a creature habituating above ground and below. The Vision Serpent represented the vehicle for the Maya to connect to the gods and their mythological past. See Miller & Martin Courtly Art of the Ancient Maya, pls. 79-82, for anthropomorphic eccentrics in chert; and Schmidt, de la Garza, & Nalda, Maya, 1998, cat. nos. 354 & 355 for obsidian examples.