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Patrick Kapty
Patrick Kapty
@patrickkapty.bsky.social
2 days ago
Post image

Head from Colossal Statue of Guardian
wood, iron
18th century
Japan

#handmade #carved #wood #iron #head #guardian #statue #sculpture #protective #temple #religion #culture #buddhistsculpture #buddhism #Japan #japanesesculpture #japanesebuddhism #japaneseantiques #18thcentury #CE #metmuseum #nyc

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Patrick Kapty
Patrick Kapty
@patrickkapty.bsky.social
2 days ago
An Oni mask is a traditional Japanese, demon-like mask featuring horns, fangs, and a fierce expression, symbolizing both the terrifying aspects of folklore and protection against evil. Deeply rooted in Japanese culture, these masks often represent human emotions like anger or jealousy, acting as a talisman for warding off negativity. This exceptionally striking mask is a piece of Mingei, or Japanese folk art. It was once owned by the British collector and dealer of ethnographic art and European arms and armour William Ockleford Oldman (1879-1949), whose reference catalogues from 1901 and 1913 remain an important source of information today. Oldman pieces can be found in the British Museum, the National Museum of the American Indian, and the Pitt Rivers Museum. What is even more unusual is that it actually appears in a famous photograph of Oldman with his collection around 1920 that is now in the collection of the Museum of New Zealand.

An Oni mask is a traditional Japanese, demon-like mask featuring horns, fangs, and a fierce expression, symbolizing both the terrifying aspects of folklore and protection against evil. Deeply rooted in Japanese culture, these masks often represent human emotions like anger or jealousy, acting as a talisman for warding off negativity. This exceptionally striking mask is a piece of Mingei, or Japanese folk art. It was once owned by the British collector and dealer of ethnographic art and European arms and armour William Ockleford Oldman (1879-1949), whose reference catalogues from 1901 and 1913 remain an important source of information today. Oldman pieces can be found in the British Museum, the National Museum of the American Indian, and the Pitt Rivers Museum. What is even more unusual is that it actually appears in a famous photograph of Oldman with his collection around 1920 that is now in the collection of the Museum of New Zealand.

Processional Oni Mask
wood, gesso, paint
18th century CE
Japan

#Japan #japanesemask #buddhism #buddhistmask #buddha #guardiandeity #wrathful #protective #onimask #talisman #religion #folklore #art #processional #mask #carved #wood #handmade #gesso #polychrome #paint #midEdoperiod #18thcentury #CE

14 2 0 0
Patrick Kapty
Patrick Kapty
@patrickkapty.bsky.social
6 days ago
Post image

The rain-god Chaac erupts from his cave flanked by swirling cascades of water, and with a fisher-bird for his crest!
carved stone
c. 695-738 CE
Maya culture
Copan, Honduras

#handmade #art #ancientart #carved #stone #mayaculture #copan #honduras #chaac #snakebody #raingod #precolumbian #prehispanic

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Patrick Kapty
Patrick Kapty
@patrickkapty.bsky.social
1 week ago
In Ñuu Savi (Mixtec) and surrounding Mesoamerican cultures like the Zapotec, bat heads symbolize night, death, sacrifice, and the underworld. They are associated with caves—seen as portals to the spirit realm—and act as guardians, representing a connection to ancestors, agricultural protection by eating pests, and transformation. The Mixtec people are one of the oldest and most culturally rich Indigenous groups in southern Mexico. They call themselves Ñuu Savi, meaning People of the Rain in their language, reflecting their spiritual bond with nature and the weather that sustains their crops. Their homeland, known as the Mixteca region, stretches across the highlands of Oaxaca, Puebla, and Guerrero, with misty mountains, fertile valleys, and sacred mountain peaks that shape their identity. The Mixtec are remarkable artisans and storytellers. They create intricate gold jewelry, turquoise mosaics, and beautifully illustrated codices that record their myths and dynasties. Their ancient deerskin manuscripts preserve one of the most complete Indigenous histories in the Americas. Their artistry and craftsmanship were so advanced that Mixtec goldsmiths were highly sought after by other Mesoamerican kingdoms. Even after the Spanish conquest, the Mixtec held on to much of their identity. Their villages remain centers of weaving, pottery, and farming, and their language is still spoken by hundreds of thousands today. The Mixtec story, like the Zapotecs, is one of endurance. They’ve carried their traditions through centuries of change, keeping their rain-soaked mountains and ancestral ways alive in modern Mexico.

In Ñuu Savi (Mixtec) and surrounding Mesoamerican cultures like the Zapotec, bat heads symbolize night, death, sacrifice, and the underworld. They are associated with caves—seen as portals to the spirit realm—and act as guardians, representing a connection to ancestors, agricultural protection by eating pests, and transformation. The Mixtec people are one of the oldest and most culturally rich Indigenous groups in southern Mexico. They call themselves Ñuu Savi, meaning People of the Rain in their language, reflecting their spiritual bond with nature and the weather that sustains their crops. Their homeland, known as the Mixteca region, stretches across the highlands of Oaxaca, Puebla, and Guerrero, with misty mountains, fertile valleys, and sacred mountain peaks that shape their identity. The Mixtec are remarkable artisans and storytellers. They create intricate gold jewelry, turquoise mosaics, and beautifully illustrated codices that record their myths and dynasties. Their ancient deerskin manuscripts preserve one of the most complete Indigenous histories in the Americas. Their artistry and craftsmanship were so advanced that Mixtec goldsmiths were highly sought after by other Mesoamerican kingdoms. Even after the Spanish conquest, the Mixtec held on to much of their identity. Their villages remain centers of weaving, pottery, and farming, and their language is still spoken by hundreds of thousands today. The Mixtec story, like the Zapotecs, is one of endurance. They’ve carried their traditions through centuries of change, keeping their rain-soaked mountains and ancestral ways alive in modern Mexico.

Bat head carving
jade
c. 1300-1521 CE
Ñuu Savi culture (aka Mixtec)
Mexico

#handmade #carved #jade #jadeite #bathead #death #transformation #agriculture #rebirth #nuusavi #mixtec #mesoamerican #mexico #ancientculture #ancientart #art #prehispanic #precolumbian #arthistory #culture #religion #bats

25 5 1 0
Patrick Kapty
Patrick Kapty
@patrickkapty.bsky.social
1 week ago
Post image

Seated figure
carved greenstone
900-600 BCE
Olmec culture
Mexico

#handmade #carved #green #stone #seatedfigure #olmec #olmecculture #mesoamerica #ancientmexico #prehispanic #precolumbian #ancientculture #sculpture #art #ancientart #precolumbianjade #nephrite #stone #carvedstone

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Patrick Kapty
Patrick Kapty
@patrickkapty.bsky.social
1 week ago
The Mesoamerican ballgame is among the most important and enduring cultural features of the Pre-Columbian world, and its accompanying accoutrements of yokes, hachas, and palmas comprise one of the most important categories of stone sculpture. The objects known as hachas, the Spanish word for “axes”, were originally named for their tapering form’s supposed resemblance to large stone axe heads. Like yokes and palmas, these enigmatic stone artifacts probably represent ritual effigies of actual ballgame equipment that was probably made of lighter and more perishable materials. These ceremonial objects in stone were evidently of high value, but many questions remain around the context in which they were originally used. The bold and assured carving of the present hacha illustrates several features that are particularly distinctive to hachas depicting bats. These include the large, pricked, ears, the depiction of the tragus, the fleshy form at the lower part of the ear, and the perforation in the upper half, which Shook and Marquis note “seldom occurs on specimens in other categories” (Edwin M. Shook and Elayne Marquis, op. cit., p. 77). Interestingly, this perforation is present on almost every hacha from the great Mayan city state of Palenque (ibid.). Although illustrating features distinctive to a bat, something in the powerful physiognomy of this hacha seems to suggest a snarling jaguar. This hacha differs from most depictions of jaguars in hachas – although the fleshy snout suggests the big cat more than the bat – but Shook and Marquis note the resemblance, and state that “perhaps bat/jaguar/serpent would more accurately describe this representation.” (ibid., p. 80). The serpent, which here arches up from the bat’s snout, its slithering head atop the bat’s ear, was a creature with “important mythological connotations, and often associated with water and rain.” (ibid., p. 171). Hachas with secondary representations are rare.

The Mesoamerican ballgame is among the most important and enduring cultural features of the Pre-Columbian world, and its accompanying accoutrements of yokes, hachas, and palmas comprise one of the most important categories of stone sculpture. The objects known as hachas, the Spanish word for “axes”, were originally named for their tapering form’s supposed resemblance to large stone axe heads. Like yokes and palmas, these enigmatic stone artifacts probably represent ritual effigies of actual ballgame equipment that was probably made of lighter and more perishable materials. These ceremonial objects in stone were evidently of high value, but many questions remain around the context in which they were originally used. The bold and assured carving of the present hacha illustrates several features that are particularly distinctive to hachas depicting bats. These include the large, pricked, ears, the depiction of the tragus, the fleshy form at the lower part of the ear, and the perforation in the upper half, which Shook and Marquis note “seldom occurs on specimens in other categories” (Edwin M. Shook and Elayne Marquis, op. cit., p. 77). Interestingly, this perforation is present on almost every hacha from the great Mayan city state of Palenque (ibid.). Although illustrating features distinctive to a bat, something in the powerful physiognomy of this hacha seems to suggest a snarling jaguar. This hacha differs from most depictions of jaguars in hachas – although the fleshy snout suggests the big cat more than the bat – but Shook and Marquis note the resemblance, and state that “perhaps bat/jaguar/serpent would more accurately describe this representation.” (ibid., p. 80). The serpent, which here arches up from the bat’s snout, its slithering head atop the bat’s ear, was a creature with “important mythological connotations, and often associated with water and rain.” (ibid., p. 171). Hachas with secondary representations are rare.

Snake-Bat-Cat Hacha
carved stone
circa 550-950 CE
Maya culture
Mexico

#hacha #maya #snake #bat #cat #zoomorphic #carved #stone #Maya #mayanculture #mesoamerica #palenque #mexico #ancientart #precolumbian #prehispanic #mesoamericanballgame #ceremonial #ritual #sculpture #art #mayanart #ancientmexico

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Gneiss Things
Gneiss Things
@gneissthings.bsky.social
1 week ago
Post image Post image Post image Post image

Astonishing #Neolithic find
In the #OuterHebrides
Well.. in the #Gneiss Things workshop anyway..
I totally forgot I’d #carved this!
Maybe I’ll make some more 🤔

#archaeology #Orkney #Scotland #history #stonetools #ancient #lost #treasure #madeinscotland #IsleofHarris #IsleofSkye #IsleofLewis #axe

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Patrick Kapty
Patrick Kapty
@patrickkapty.bsky.social
1 week ago
Post image

Hei-tiki pendant
nephrite jade with red sealing wax
19th century CE
Maori culture
NewZealand

#handmade #maori #culture #carved #nephrite #jade #pounamu #newzealand #Aotearoa #landofthelongwhitecloud #indigenous #native #tribal #oceanic #art #oceanicart #maoriart #maoriculture #tribalart #heitiki

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Patrick Kapty
Patrick Kapty
@patrickkapty.bsky.social
2 weeks ago
This Wapinyan ancestor figure (Ngwallndu) comes from the Wosera Abelam people residing in the East Sepik River region of Papua New Guinea. Integral to the fabric of the spiritual life of the Wosera Abelam people is the growing and exchanging of yams. Although the primary role of this object is to honor deceased ancestors, every object of artistic production, including this figure, would be displayed at the annual Yam Festival. Produced after a respected elder passes away, this figure would have been kept in the Spirit House (Haus Tambaran) in a prominent place. Small figures are also made to represent Wapinyan and have been variously identified as "long" yam children, yam spirit portraits, and as specifically named clan ancestors. These may be male or female and are found in Spirit Houses as well as ceremonial yam warehouses. At the beginning of the yam growing cycle, small seedlings are placed against them to encourage "long" yam cultivation, and female figures are said to specifically look after the development of their yam counterparts.

This Wapinyan ancestor figure (Ngwallndu) comes from the Wosera Abelam people residing in the East Sepik River region of Papua New Guinea. Integral to the fabric of the spiritual life of the Wosera Abelam people is the growing and exchanging of yams. Although the primary role of this object is to honor deceased ancestors, every object of artistic production, including this figure, would be displayed at the annual Yam Festival. Produced after a respected elder passes away, this figure would have been kept in the Spirit House (Haus Tambaran) in a prominent place. Small figures are also made to represent Wapinyan and have been variously identified as "long" yam children, yam spirit portraits, and as specifically named clan ancestors. These may be male or female and are found in Spirit Houses as well as ceremonial yam warehouses. At the beginning of the yam growing cycle, small seedlings are placed against them to encourage "long" yam cultivation, and female figures are said to specifically look after the development of their yam counterparts.

Male ancestor figure (Ngwallndu)
carved wood
19th century
Wosera Abelam people
East Sepik, Papua New Guinea

#handmade #carved #wood #ancestorfigure #ngwallndu #tribalart #oceanic #oceanicart #woseraabelam #eastsepik #papuanewguinea #ritualfigure #statue #culture #art #oceanicart #c1800s #religion

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M. Defarge
M. Defarge
@mdefarge.bsky.social
2 weeks ago
Stone deposited by glaciers with potholes carved by running water.

Stone deposited by glaciers with potholes carved by running water.

#stone #BlueSkyArtShow #photography #glacial #pothole #carved #water #Massachusetts

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Patrick Kapty
Patrick Kapty
@patrickkapty.bsky.social
2 weeks ago
A Barong mask represents a benevolent lion-like spirit, and is considered the king of good spirits in Balinese mythology. It symbolizes protection, virtue, and the triumph of good over evil (dharma vs. adharma). These sacred, consecrated masks act as guardians that ward off negativity and evil spirits. In the past, the Barong mask was used in sacred performances to maintain cosmic balance and is believed to contain the actual spirit it represents.

A Barong mask represents a benevolent lion-like spirit, and is considered the king of good spirits in Balinese mythology. It symbolizes protection, virtue, and the triumph of good over evil (dharma vs. adharma). These sacred, consecrated masks act as guardians that ward off negativity and evil spirits. In the past, the Barong mask was used in sacred performances to maintain cosmic balance and is believed to contain the actual spirit it represents.

A huge vintage 1940s Indonesian Barong Guardian carved painted wood wall-hanging mask from Bali, Indonesia - measures 24" tall!

www.rubylane.com/item/1879775...

#handmade #carved #painted #wood #barong #guardian #mask #bali #indonesia #c1940s #belief #ritual #protection #religion #tribal #art

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Patrick Kapty
Patrick Kapty
@patrickkapty.bsky.social
2 weeks ago
Mace head depicting a jaguar, its open mouth revealing powerful fangs. The ears are raised and alert, while the eyes, set within circular cavities, intensify a fierce expression that gives the figure an immediate sense of tension, as if ready to leap upon its prey. The volumes are compact and powerful, reflecting a deliberately massive and expressive conception. The Chorotega were a powerful, culturally advanced indigenous group that migrated from Mexico to Pacific Nicaragua and Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula, forming the southernmost Mesoamerican culture. Famous for intricate, hand-polished ceramics and strong agriculture, they were fierce warriors with a complex society, featuring elected leaders and a strict religious caste.

Mace head depicting a jaguar, its open mouth revealing powerful fangs. The ears are raised and alert, while the eyes, set within circular cavities, intensify a fierce expression that gives the figure an immediate sense of tension, as if ready to leap upon its prey. The volumes are compact and powerful, reflecting a deliberately massive and expressive conception. The Chorotega were a powerful, culturally advanced indigenous group that migrated from Mexico to Pacific Nicaragua and Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula, forming the southernmost Mesoamerican culture. Famous for intricate, hand-polished ceramics and strong agriculture, they were fierce warriors with a complex society, featuring elected leaders and a strict religious caste.

Jaguar mace head
nephrite jade
500 BCE - 500 CE
Chorotega culture
Costa Rica

#handmade #ancientart #culture #chorotega #costarica #mesoamerica #precolumbian #prehispanic #carved #nephrite #jade #jaguar #macehead #weapon #ceremonial #ritual #religion #art #craft #oneofakind

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Patrick Kapty
Patrick Kapty
@patrickkapty.bsky.social
2 weeks ago
The Huaca de Moho represents a valuable example of pre-incaic lithic art in the Titicaca basin. It is a monolith located in the province of Moho that exhibits typical features of the Tiahuanaco style, with its most distinctive element being a winged cross carved with a rotating effect. This visual dynamism is not casual, but probably reflects the worldview and sense of cosmic order of the societies that inhabited the area between 500 and 1000 AD. Although its ritual importance is evident by its location, this site remains a treasure little explored by official archeology and still lacks state protection.

The Huaca de Moho represents a valuable example of pre-incaic lithic art in the Titicaca basin. It is a monolith located in the province of Moho that exhibits typical features of the Tiahuanaco style, with its most distinctive element being a winged cross carved with a rotating effect. This visual dynamism is not casual, but probably reflects the worldview and sense of cosmic order of the societies that inhabited the area between 500 and 1000 AD. Although its ritual importance is evident by its location, this site remains a treasure little explored by official archeology and still lacks state protection.

Huaca de Moho
carved stone
500-1000 CE
Moho, Peru

#carved #stone #monolith #tiahuanaco #swastika #wingedcross #symbol #cosmology #heavenandearth #townofmoho #punoregion #peru #laketiticaca #andes #preincaicculture #religion #culture #belief #precolumbian #prehispanic #ancientamericas #southamerica

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Teresa Wyss Pottery
Teresa Wyss Pottery
@teresawysspottery.bsky.social
2 weeks ago
Video

Ahh background studio chaos 😂 I actually just had a very quiet weekend, which was lovely and productive #pottery #ceramic #potterymug #wheelthrown #handmade #art #craft #pottersofbluesky #artistsonbluesky #artists #PotterySky #Ceramics #DiamondCoreTools #Carved #sgraffitto

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Patrick Kapty
Patrick Kapty
@patrickkapty.bsky.social
2 weeks ago
Ceremonial cylindrical vessel with two handles, resting on an openwork annular foot. The body of the vase is sculpted in the round with two frontal deities displaying feline features, identifiable by their open jaws and prominent fangs. These figures are integrated into an architectonic composition that includes arcades evoking temple façades or stepped structures, as well as lateral ideograms, among which appears a serpentiform motif possibly associated with the Feathered Serpent deity, Kukulcan. The decoration is framed at the top and bottom by two continuous friezes of serpent scales, sculpted Stone ceremonial vessels from the Ulúa Valley rank among the most prestigious productions of the southern Maya area. Likely used in major elite rituals, they combine divine iconography, architectural symbolism, and mythic animal imagery in compositions of remarkable complexity. The presence of the Feathered Serpent Kukulcan—a major deity associated with fertility, power, and the circulation of cosmic forces— emphasizes the sacred character of the piece. Examples of such vessels have been documented as far as Guatemala, Mexico, and Costa Rica, attesting to the cultural influence and wide-reaching connections of the Ulúa Valley ceremonial centers during the Late Classic and Early Postclassic periods.

Ceremonial cylindrical vessel with two handles, resting on an openwork annular foot. The body of the vase is sculpted in the round with two frontal deities displaying feline features, identifiable by their open jaws and prominent fangs. These figures are integrated into an architectonic composition that includes arcades evoking temple façades or stepped structures, as well as lateral ideograms, among which appears a serpentiform motif possibly associated with the Feathered Serpent deity, Kukulcan. The decoration is framed at the top and bottom by two continuous friezes of serpent scales, sculpted Stone ceremonial vessels from the Ulúa Valley rank among the most prestigious productions of the southern Maya area. Likely used in major elite rituals, they combine divine iconography, architectural symbolism, and mythic animal imagery in compositions of remarkable complexity. The presence of the Feathered Serpent Kukulcan—a major deity associated with fertility, power, and the circulation of cosmic forces— emphasizes the sacred character of the piece. Examples of such vessels have been documented as far as Guatemala, Mexico, and Costa Rica, attesting to the cultural influence and wide-reaching connections of the Ulúa Valley ceremonial centers during the Late Classic and Early Postclassic periods.

Ceremonial vessel
carved travertine
c. 500-1000 CE
Maya culture
Ulúa Valley, Honduras

#Maya #mayanart #precolumbian #prehispanic #mesoamerica #UlúaValley #honduras #ceremonialvessel #carved #travertine #religion #ritual #shaman #magic #kukulcan #featheredserpent #lateclassic #earlypostclassic

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Patrick Kapty
Patrick Kapty
@patrickkapty.bsky.social
3 weeks ago
The Tlingit (Lingít) are an Indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest Coast (Southeast Alaska, British Columbia, Yukon) with a complex, matrilineal society rooted in a rich maritime, hunter-gatherer tradition. Known for their intricate art—including totem poles and formline design—they are organized into two main moieties (Raven and Eagle/Wolf). Their culture emphasizes kinship, oratory, and deep spiritual respect for the ocean, historically relying on salmon, berries, and game.

The Tlingit (Lingít) are an Indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest Coast (Southeast Alaska, British Columbia, Yukon) with a complex, matrilineal society rooted in a rich maritime, hunter-gatherer tradition. Known for their intricate art—including totem poles and formline design—they are organized into two main moieties (Raven and Eagle/Wolf). Their culture emphasizes kinship, oratory, and deep spiritual respect for the ocean, historically relying on salmon, berries, and game.

Shaman Ivory Amulet
marine ivory
19th century
Tlingit culture
British Columbia, Canada

#handmade #carved #marineivory #tusk #tlingitculture #britishcolumbia #canada #shamanamulet #magic #religion #culture #belief #pacificnorthwest #firstnation #indigenous #nativeamerican

30 6 0 0
Patrick Kapty
Patrick Kapty
@patrickkapty.bsky.social
3 weeks ago
A Balinese singa is a mythical, winged lion creature serving as a protective guardian, symbol of strength, and ward against evil spirits in Balinese Hinduism. Often carved from wood or stone with a ferocious expression, bulging eyes, and fangs, these figures are commonly placed on roof corners, temples (puri), or homes, similar to gargoyles. The hindu carvers of Bali believed that the living wood could be imbued with the actual protective spirit by consecration in a ritual. Westerners may see a work of art, but the creator no doubt also saw a deeply spiritual object!

A Balinese singa is a mythical, winged lion creature serving as a protective guardian, symbol of strength, and ward against evil spirits in Balinese Hinduism. Often carved from wood or stone with a ferocious expression, bulging eyes, and fangs, these figures are commonly placed on roof corners, temples (puri), or homes, similar to gargoyles. The hindu carvers of Bali believed that the living wood could be imbued with the actual protective spirit by consecration in a ritual. Westerners may see a work of art, but the creator no doubt also saw a deeply spiritual object!

Singa guardian
carved painted wood
19th century
Amlapura, Bali
Indonesia

#carved #painted #wood #singa #almapura #bali #indonesia #19thcentury #antique #guardian #gargoyle #protection #hinduism #hindumythology #mythology #belief #religion #culture #object #art #artwork

19 6 0 0
Patrick Kapty
Patrick Kapty
@patrickkapty.bsky.social
3 weeks ago
Teotihuacan culture cult mask depicting the idealized face of a high-ranking individual, probably a lord or dignitary invested with a ritual function. The modeling is marked by great sobriety, entirely based on the balance of volumes and the accuracy of proportions. The deeply carved almond-shaped eyes, with elongated eyelids, give the gaze an introspective, calm, and vigilant expression. Circa 450-650 CE.

Teotihuacan culture cult mask depicting the idealized face of a high-ranking individual, probably a lord or dignitary invested with a ritual function. The modeling is marked by great sobriety, entirely based on the balance of volumes and the accuracy of proportions. The deeply carved almond-shaped eyes, with elongated eyelids, give the gaze an introspective, calm, and vigilant expression. Circa 450-650 CE.

Cult Mask
carved limestone
c. 450-650 CE
Classic period
Teotihuacan, Valley of Mexico

#cult #mask #carved #stone #mesoamerica #mexico #handmade #teotihuacan #classicperiod #valleyofmexico #precolumbian #prehispanic #culture #religion #ritual

23 4 0 0
@itemdeals1600.bsky.social
3 weeks ago
Post image

ebay.us/m/JcH1LJ

#mahogany man #art #African #africanart #cool #latenight #thrift #vintage old man needs a new home. Auction ends in a few days…
#ebay #resller
#wood #carved #treasures #trending

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Patrick Kapty
Patrick Kapty
@patrickkapty.bsky.social
3 weeks ago
Anthropomorphic pendant depicting the head of a Maya lord shown in profile. The finely carved face is distinguished by a hieratic expression characteristic of elite representations, with full lips, a strongly defined nose, and almond-shaped eyes. The figure wears an elaborate headdress dominated by a stylized animal figure with an elongated snout and a prominent fang. The ear, integrated into the profile, is adorned with a circular ornament. The overall composition, with its deliberately composite and serpentiform forms, does not allow for a precise iconographic identification.

Anthropomorphic pendant depicting the head of a Maya lord shown in profile. The finely carved face is distinguished by a hieratic expression characteristic of elite representations, with full lips, a strongly defined nose, and almond-shaped eyes. The figure wears an elaborate headdress dominated by a stylized animal figure with an elongated snout and a prominent fang. The ear, integrated into the profile, is adorned with a circular ornament. The overall composition, with its deliberately composite and serpentiform forms, does not allow for a precise iconographic identification.

Anthropomorphic pendant
jadeite
600-900 CE
Maya
Late Classic period
Mexico

#handmade #carved #jade #jadeite #pendant #mayaculture #lateclassicperiod #anthropomorphic #design #mesoamerica #precolumbian #prehispanic #ancientmexico #mexico #ancientculture #precolumbianjade #oneofakind #jewelrydesign

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Gneiss Things
Gneiss Things
@gneissthings.bsky.social
1 month ago
Post image Post image Post image Post image

We haven’t made carved seals for sale previously, but we continue in house development.

#chopseal #stamp #printing
#carved #ScottishMakers #ContemporaryCraft #StoneCarving #HandmadeInScotland
@craftscotland
@thescottishgallery
@scottishdesignexchange
@edinburghjewellerystudio
@waspsstudios

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Teresa Wyss Pottery
Teresa Wyss Pottery
@teresawysspottery.bsky.social
1 month ago
Video

I’ve been working on some Mishima this week! #pottery #ceramic #potterymug #wheelthrown #handmade #art #craft #pottersofbluesky #artistsonbluesky #artists #PotterySky #Ceramics #DiamondCoreTools #Carved

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Patrick Kapty
Patrick Kapty
@patrickkapty.bsky.social
1 month ago
Henry Moore studied at the Royal Academy of Art in London, yet he soon defied traditional academic methods. Moore abandoned the use of clay preparatory models and began to carve directly into the surface of stone and wood; he sought to enhance the inherent characteristics of his natural materials. Massive pre-Columbian and Neolithic stone carvings, as well as the experimental abstract forms of avant-garde artists such as Jean Arp, strongly influenced Moore. He focused on the feminine figure as an archetype of earthiness, fertility, and nurture. Composition is an early example of Moore's use of interlocking biomorphic forms: both the open cavities and the curvilinear, organic forms suggest anatomical features. Moore's gentle abstractions often recall the undulating hills of his native English countryside and thus further his equation of women with nature.

Henry Moore studied at the Royal Academy of Art in London, yet he soon defied traditional academic methods. Moore abandoned the use of clay preparatory models and began to carve directly into the surface of stone and wood; he sought to enhance the inherent characteristics of his natural materials. Massive pre-Columbian and Neolithic stone carvings, as well as the experimental abstract forms of avant-garde artists such as Jean Arp, strongly influenced Moore. He focused on the feminine figure as an archetype of earthiness, fertility, and nurture. Composition is an early example of Moore's use of interlocking biomorphic forms: both the open cavities and the curvilinear, organic forms suggest anatomical features. Moore's gentle abstractions often recall the undulating hills of his native English countryside and thus further his equation of women with nature.

Composition
carved beechwood
1932
Henry Moore (1898-1986)
UK

#art #britishart #sculpture #modernsculpture #modernart #biomorphicart #biomorphism #biomorphicsculpture #henrymoore #uk #composition #carved #beechwood #c1932 #britishmodern #modernism #vintagemodern

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Gneiss Things
Gneiss Things
@gneissthings.bsky.social
1 month ago
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Not idly do the leaves of Iona fall…

#Iona #marble #LOTR #NewZealand #scotland #IsleofHarris #IsleofLewis #OuterHebrides #IsleofSkye #Orkney #Shetland #Viking #highlands #ScottishHighlands #carved #stone #elves #geology #talisman #Seilebost #pendant #landscape #rare #precious

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Patrick Kapty
Patrick Kapty
@patrickkapty.bsky.social
1 month ago
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Ritual beaker
carved wood
500-1200 CE
Wari culture
Peru

#ritual #beaker #culture #religion #carved #wood #handmade #wari #huari #wariculture #peru #andes #ancientamerica #precolumbian #prehispanic #ceremonial #ritualobject

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Patrick Kapty
Patrick Kapty
@patrickkapty.bsky.social
1 month ago
An early standing Shakyamuni, where history meets harmony. Carved from blue-grey schist, this impressive standing image of Shakyamuni Buddha embodies the refined classicism for which Gandharan sculpture is celebrated. Gandhara, situated at a historic crossroads linking South Asia with Central Asia and the Mediterranean world, developed a sculptural language that fused Buddhist sacred imagery with a naturalism and drapery vocabulary often associated with Graeco-Roman traditions. The Buddha is presented in a calm, frontal stance, enlivened by subtle shifts in the shoulders and the gentle fall of the robe. The serene face, with heavy-lidded eyes and softly modeled planes, conveys an inward, contemplative presence. The hair is treated in thick, wavy locks gathered into the uşnişa, while the elongated earlobes—visual reminders of the Buddha's princely past anchor the image within canonical Buddhist iconography. A large, integral halo (nimbus) frames the head, visually "activating" the figure as an enlightened being radiating spiritual authority—an important feature in devotional settings and one frequently encountered in Gandharan stone images. Particularly striking is the treatment of the monastic robe (sanghāți). The garment is carved with deep, rhythmic folds that cascade across the torso and fall in layered swags toward the hem, creating a sculptural play of light and shadow that feels almost architectural.

An early standing Shakyamuni, where history meets harmony. Carved from blue-grey schist, this impressive standing image of Shakyamuni Buddha embodies the refined classicism for which Gandharan sculpture is celebrated. Gandhara, situated at a historic crossroads linking South Asia with Central Asia and the Mediterranean world, developed a sculptural language that fused Buddhist sacred imagery with a naturalism and drapery vocabulary often associated with Graeco-Roman traditions. The Buddha is presented in a calm, frontal stance, enlivened by subtle shifts in the shoulders and the gentle fall of the robe. The serene face, with heavy-lidded eyes and softly modeled planes, conveys an inward, contemplative presence. The hair is treated in thick, wavy locks gathered into the uşnişa, while the elongated earlobes—visual reminders of the Buddha's princely past anchor the image within canonical Buddhist iconography. A large, integral halo (nimbus) frames the head, visually "activating" the figure as an enlightened being radiating spiritual authority—an important feature in devotional settings and one frequently encountered in Gandharan stone images. Particularly striking is the treatment of the monastic robe (sanghāți). The garment is carved with deep, rhythmic folds that cascade across the torso and fall in layered swags toward the hem, creating a sculptural play of light and shadow that feels almost architectural.

Shakyamuni Buddha
Gandhara
Blue-grey schist
Kushan period
2nd to 3rd century
India

#gandhara #india #buddha #shakyamuni #carved #stone #ancient #buddhist #buddhism #handmade #ancientart #art
#halo #nimbus #spiritual #enlightened #being

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Patrick Kapty
Patrick Kapty
@patrickkapty.bsky.social
1 month ago
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Ritual figure (Ofo)
wood, metal, pigment
early 20th century
Igbo people
Nigeria

#igbo #nigeria #ofo #truth #justice #law #carved #wood #metal #staff #figure #africa #africanart #tribal #tribalart #africantribalart #art #handmade

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Gneiss Things
Gneiss Things
@gneissthings.bsky.social
1 month ago
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Stone bottle displays for the #isleofharris #distillery
#carved by hand from over 3 billion years old #LewisianGneiss

#westernisles #hearach #whisky #singlemalt #scotland #outerhebrides #hebrides #northuist #benbecula #southuist #uig #nc500 #scottishhighlands #north #geology #stone #gneissthings

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Gneiss Things
Gneiss Things
@gneissthings.bsky.social
1 month ago
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Working with light while carving colored marine inspired #glass in winter focuses the mind on the turning of the year.
#carved gneiss glass pendants are available in our #isleofharris #studio or on the link below

www.gneiss-things.com/glass

#seaglass #handcarved #outerhebrides #isleofskye #art

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Diana
Diana
@diana-m-keener.bsky.social
1 month ago
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#blueskyartshow theme this week is #wood

#sacredheart #carved #doors at #santuariodechimayo in #newmexico

#sensoryart #love #photohour #photography #art #artyear #eastcoastkin #heart #love #chimayo

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