A Published Olmec Jade Celt, Middle Pre-Classic Period: 900 - 300 BCE

This finely carved green jade celt represents a classic example of Middle Pre-Classic Olmec lapidary artistry. Worked from a high-quality green jade with good translucency, the celt follows the canonical elongated form, narrowing gently toward a single cutting edge. The maker achieved a balanced, symmetrical silhouette with subtle contouring along the sides, creating a tool that is both functional and aesthetically refined. The surface shows the careful finishing for which Olmec jades are prized: long, deliberate abrasions, high polish, and an even, silky sheen that has matured into a warm beige patina through age and ritual handling. Such celts were more than utilitarian tools; they symbolized agricultural fertility, rulership, and the authority to mediate between the earthly and supernatural realms. Their placement in caches, burials, and ceremonial deposits is well documented, and published examples like this one provide important insight into early Mesoamerican belief systems and e