Featured Very Old tribal Face Mask Necklace Snake In Middle,Mayan/Aztec

I bought this old necklace mask from a lady years ago who said her brother was a missionary and traveled into the hills of the Mayan and Aztec tribe,this was given to him,he in turn gave it to her,she didn't like it because of the snake in the middle,there's 2 small holes for hanging around neck I suppose,you can see the crude holes and some wear from wearing against the body,I tried a few people online who said they knew nothing about it,so maybe someone on here can help.There's a broken piece on the side.An gentleman who does appraisal came to Memphis but he also said he has never came across anything like this,for some reason he put this piece on the tip of his tongue.

 

What size is it? Looks more African than Aztec or Mayan,also looks like a button.

 

I have to get it out on my storage box.It's not a button.It's a guess as tall as a soccer ball but not as wide.Just a wild guess.I'll have to get it outI researched African items and nothing

 

Can you tell us what it is made of? Pottery? Wood?

 

Some type of pottery,look likered or colored mud.It's not wood

 

It is not typical Aztec or Mayan style. It looks somewhat similar to styles from further south such as Costa Rican Gran Nicoya:

https://galerianamu.com/shop/pre-columbian/pottery/trophy-head-pot


https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smit...ceramics-dating-from-1000-years-ago-11618976/

I am not at all sure that your piece is very old. It is my impression that it is something made to appeal to tourists and collectors.

 

I have a piece like the one above,the snake face is nothing like that.I can't really explain it.I also have 2 more pieces,It's not new just need to find out what it is.thanks,guess I'll keep searching

 

Here's one of the pieces I have that was with the snake face piece,lol that's what I call the piece

 

I think this last piece is a recent (19th-20th century) imitation of Peruvian Chimu pottery:

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/...Museum_für_Völkerkunde_München_-_DSC08490.JPG

Such recreations of pre-columbian pottery are quite common - more common than genuine examples.

 

I've had that one for years,I got that from a dear friend who was a collector so I'm pretty sure it's real.I have kept it because it belong to her,she passed years ago.She was my #2 best friend.Her mom was from the old country she was a jew.She had many items passed from her mom to her.I have a few things from her.She was the smartest lady I know in antique and had a very very kind heart,I loved her so much.

 

she was a jew........... she was a Jewish Lady...........sounds better !!

 

These guys say Mexican.......so...same area.....more or less...????

 

I like it, antiquelover.
The confusion could be around the terms Aztec and Maya. When people hear those terms the mind switches to the pre-Columbian civilizations. But present day Nahua (descendants of Aztecs) and Maya also make objects.
@April07 lives in Mexico and knows about Mexican folk art, maybe she can identify it.

 

I didn't mean any harm but my friend never had a problem with me calling her a jew and she called me black not African American.We were very good friends,we were not hung up on that,she was my friend.We were in different religion that never made a difference.But if it's offense to you,I am sorry,Jewish it is.

 

not offensive.....just sounds nicer !

& ya......I guess personally there's some part of me that doesn't cotton to being called a Jew.....likely because it lends itself to having unflattering verbs proceed it.

 

I guess it is often the little nuances. It is different when you are face to face with someone and know him or her very well. You can see how the other person means it, if it is said in a loving tone or a sense of familiarity. That is difficult to convey on an internet forum.
My husband and I are both a Dutch-Indonesian mix. Friends sometimes say slightly awkward things to us, but we know they don't mean anything by it. We often turn it into a joke.

 

Again I do apologize.I have friends and family different race and gender.But as Any Jewelry said we know each other and I guess we can say things to one another that the public don't understand

 

Accepted !
No worries !!

 

What some American Black folk.......call their Black friends.....I just don't get it.
But that's maybe not a conversation for here.....

 

No worry,it's a black thing among family and friends,you could say like pet names.I'm a type of person we talk about everything.My children,grands great grands,friends,family,nothing is off the table.Commucation in our family and among friends is important.We laugh,cry,argue,talk it out,hug each other but it's out.My great grandchildren are part Caucasian,part Hispanic,we have transgenger,there's a lot of love