ceremonial ax
Caribbean region, possibly Santo Domingo,
Taino Culture, Ca. 900 to 1500 A.D., Grey stone,
Height: 10 1/2 inches.

Carved of a black stone and brought to a high polish, this ritual ax is a representation in stone of a wood shaft hafted with a petaloid stone ax, with a Shaman making up the form of the shaft.  With no signs of wear and its relatively small size, this was a ceremonial object, while the shape of a weapon, it was never used as such and is too small to have been effective.  The idea of animating a tool in a anthropomorphic melding is an animistic idea, spirit everywhere, with shaman able to project themselves onto, into, objects, animals and places.  This is a particularly good example of Taino art and a good representation of their belief systems.

Detail showing the head of the Shaman