Taino
Santo Domingo, Dominican RepublicAxe Form with Human Figure, 900 - 1400 CE
On view
Green stone
Dimensions7 1/2 × 6 1/4 × 1 1/4 in. (19.1 × 15.9 × 3.2 cm)
Gift of Carol Ross, 2011.261
Taino stone axes came in hundreds of different styles. These three axes have human elements that may represent various deities. It is unusual to see such fine carving in surviving axes, which may distinguish these as ceremonial rather than utilitarian. Because iron tools were not used in the Pre-Columbian world, artists used flint chisels and drills made of bone and hardwood for carving. The smooth surfaces of these detailed axes were polished with fine sand and water.
