About the Object

This “spoon” carved from dark green jade was likely fashioned from a celt, or stone hand axe, with the bowl portion made from the handle of the celt and the present handle section from the original blade. This particular work has the glyph for the god Cipactli engraved into the work as well. For the later Tlascan people, Cipactli became associated with crocodiles, caiman, or serpents and was believed to represent chaos and the version of Earth that predated the creation of the present universe.

Additional Information

Like many jade objects, this spoon may have been associated with rituals or mortuary practices. However, jade also existed as a form of monetary exchange as the most precious material in the Mesoamerican world. Thus, such objects could be viewed as having some similar functions as currency, but with very different ideas of worth attached to and underpinning their importance to society.