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March 28, 2024, 04:10:43 am
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World's oldest snuff bottle?

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Wattana
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« on: October 02, 2012, 04:04:57 am »

Hi All,

A little fun...

This ancient flask dates to A.D. 550-950, and was used by the Maya for containing a mixture of pulverized tobacco, lime and other ingredients. As such it is probably one of the very earliest snuff bottles in existence! 

It was sold at Christie's NY on Nov 21, 2006. Details below:

Lot 28 - PROPERTY FROM THE G.A.H. BUISMAN JNZ. COLLECTION

MAYAN CARVED CONTAINER
LATE CLASSIC, ca. A.D. 550 - 950
of rectangular form, molded on each side with a ballplayer in full garb, with peccary headdress leaning forward towards a humpback, glyph-decorated animal, possibly a rabbit, symbolizing the ball, a clear reference to the cosmic ballgame of the Hero Twins whose ball turns into a rabbit, the ball has an inscription read as 'bolon nahb' deciphered as a 'hand span,' alluding to the circumference of the ball, the glyphs facing the athlete indicate he is speaking, a register of identical glyphs on the side panels interpreted as couplets from poetry and seem to include the words 'green, young and fresh,' possibly an allusion to green tobacco, covered in cream and red pigment.
Height 5 1/4 in. (13.3 cm.)

Such ancient flasks were probably designed for tobacco or alkaline lime. These were essentially snuff bottles which may have contained mixtures of tobacco, lime and other ingredients. The contents were chewed or mixed into poultices for medicinal purposes. Such salves were probably used against parasites, for skin conditions and by midwives for magical protection. This tradition of portable receptacles continues among the modern Maya men and women who carry tobacco gourds.

Provenance: William O'Boyle Collection


* Mayan snuff bottle.jpg (44.61 KB, 512x698 - viewed 37 times.)
« Last Edit: October 02, 2012, 04:06:57 am by Wattana » Report Spam   Logged

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George
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« Reply #1 on: October 02, 2012, 10:05:32 am »

What an amazing piece of history !

Not sure if $ 14,000.00 was a bargain or not..

Makes me wonder if the use of snuff/medicines could possibly even predate the Maya.. Perhaps reaching back to the Olmecas who were the Mother Tribe to all Mexican Indians ?

I have never read any reference to glyphs being positioned in a manner as to suggest speach. 
« Last Edit: October 02, 2012, 10:18:48 am by Bottle Guy » Report Spam   Logged

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Joey Silver / Si Zhouyi 義周司
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« Reply #2 on: October 02, 2012, 12:08:43 pm »

My only connection to Pre-Columbian art, is a couple of Mochica ware stirrup cups, one with a (male) warrior doing it to another (male)warrior; the second is a large stirrup cup of a seated warrior.
Joey
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Joey Silver (Si Zhouyi 義周司), collecting snuff bottles since Feb.1970

Wattana
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« Reply #3 on: October 02, 2012, 10:20:56 pm »


Not sure if $ 14,000.00 was a bargain or not..


George,

Is that what it sold for?! I never checked the prices realized.

Tom
« Last Edit: August 19, 2014, 11:27:04 pm by Wattana » Report Spam   Logged

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« Reply #4 on: October 03, 2012, 08:07:50 am »

Well, closer to 14,400.00

http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/lot_details.aspx?intObjectID=4821063
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« Reply #5 on: October 03, 2012, 09:34:29 pm »

And it doesn't even have a stopper...!  Grin
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