Predynastic Egyptian Naqada Hematite Knobbed Piriform Mace Head

North Africa, Egypt, Predynastic Period / Naqada II period. A piriform macehead of dense hematite, its pear-shaped body swelling toward a broad crown studded with domed bosses, each set off by an incised ring. A shallow collar finishes the narrow lower end, and a socket bored along the long axis once received a wooden haft. The polished surface reads almost black yet catches the light with the silvery, metallic sheen typical of iron-rich stone. Shaping and drilling so hard and heavy a material with stone tools and abrasives demanded considerable labor, and the knobbed treatment adds ornament where a plain pear form would have served the blow equally well. Maces of this type were weapons and, increasingly, emblems of rank. Item # 204435

Estimate:$400

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