GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Ground stone axe heads, or celts, were tools for clearing wood and brush from land to be farmed. Celts made of precious jadeite and serpentine were important in Olmec ritual and may have constituted a form of wealth. Great numbers of them were placed in caches. When they were planted vertically, these celts defined the central axis mundi, or World Tree, and the corners of the four-sided world, or cosmic maize field. Celts may even have symbolized ears of corn. Because the compact form was useful in revealing the quality of the stone and was easy to transport, jadeite and serpentine were widely traded in the form of celts, which could be incised with symbols or recarved as figures or other forms. This carved celt is made from brown jadeite and highly polished to a brilliant shine. Celts such as this were likely objects that had ritual or specialized use and sacred significance, rather than a working tool.
Adapted from
Carol Robbins, Label text [1968.32], A. H. Meadows Galleries, 2010.
NOTES
Olmec, Formative period, 900–300 B.C.E., updated by KJones in TMS on 04/01/14, 06/18/14, 03/14/16, and 03/21/16.
Catalogue essays
Artist/designers
Cultures
Pre-Columbian (American): AAT: 300016619
Olmec: AAT: 300017051
Geography
Mexico (nation): TGN: 7005560
Tabasco (state): TGN: 7005596
Río Pesquero (Arroyo Pesquero / river / region): DMA
Process/materials
jadeite (mineral): AAT: 300011121
carving: AAT: 300053149
polishing (finishing): AAT: 300053867
incising: AAT: 300053847
Historical periods
Middle Preclassic Period (Formative): AAT: 300016973
Preclassic (Archaic / Formative / Mesoamerican period): AAT: 300016967
Formative Period (Preclassic): AAT: 300016973
Individuals
Subject terms
sculpture: AAT: 300047090
celts (cutting tools): AAT: 300251881
supernatural (concepts): AAT: 300055947
ritual objects: AAT: 300312158
shiny: AAT: 300065244
brown (color): AAT: 300127490
RELATED OBJECTS
PROVENANCE
From 1971: Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, The Art Museum League Fund, purchased from Teochita, Inc., New York [1], [2]
[1] The main source for this provenance are Acquisition Record and Collections Information Sheet (dated June 08, 1971, copy in Dallas Museum of Art Collections Records Object File). Exceptions and other supporting documents are noted.
[2] The name of the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, founded in 1933, changed to the Dallas Museum of Art in 1983.
AUDIO ASSETS
VIDEO ASSETS
IMAGE ASSETS
WEB RESOURCES
ARCHIVAL RESOURCES
FUN FACTS
TEACHING IDEAS
RULES
Apply to objects where number equals 1971.41
Category
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General Description
Ground stone axe heads, or celts, were tools for clearing wood and brush from land to be farmed. Celts made of precious jadeite and serpentine were important in Olmec ritual and may have constituted a form of wealth. Great numbers of them were placed in caches. When they were planted vertically, these celts defined the central axis mundi, or World Tree, and the corners of the four-sided world, or cosmic maize field. Celts may even have symbolized ears of corn. Because the compact form was useful in revealing the quality of the stone and was easy to transport, jadeite and serpentine were widely traded in the form of celts, which could be incised with symbols or recarved as figures or other forms. This carved celt is made from brown jadeite and highly polished to a brilliant shine. Celts such as this were likely objects that had ritual or specialized use and sacred significance, rather than a working tool.
Adapted from
Carol Robbins, Label text [1968.32], A. H. Meadows Galleries, 2010.
Fun Facts
Archival Resources
Web Resources
Notes
Olmec, Formative period, 900–300 B.C.E., updated by KJones in TMS on 04/01/14, 06/18/14, 03/14/16, and 03/21/16.
Catalogue essays
Artist/designers
Cultures
Pre-Columbian (American): AAT: 300016619
Olmec: AAT: 300017051
Geography
Mexico (nation): TGN: 7005560
Tabasco (state): TGN: 7005596
Río Pesquero (Arroyo Pesquero / river / region): DMA
Process/materials
jadeite (mineral): AAT: 300011121
carving: AAT: 300053149
polishing (finishing): AAT: 300053867
incising: AAT: 300053847
Historical periods
Middle Preclassic Period (Formative): AAT: 300016973
Preclassic (Archaic / Formative / Mesoamerican period): AAT: 300016967
Formative Period (Preclassic): AAT: 300016973
Individuals
Subject terms
sculpture: AAT: 300047090
celts (cutting tools): AAT: 300251881
supernatural (concepts): AAT: 300055947
ritual objects: AAT: 300312158
shiny: AAT: 300065244
brown (color): AAT: 300127490
RELATED OBJECTS
PROVENANCE
From 1971: Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, The Art Museum League Fund, purchased from Teochita, Inc., New York [1], [2]
[1] The main source for this provenance are Acquisition Record and Collections Information Sheet (dated June 08, 1971, copy in Dallas Museum of Art Collections Records Object File). Exceptions and other supporting documents are noted.
[2] The name of the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, founded in 1933, changed to the Dallas Museum of Art in 1983.
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rules
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Objects
number
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1971.41
source file
object_notes_3_a-0747.xml.nores