"Eccentric" Flints

Exploring the Early Americas The Jay I. Kislak Collection

Pre-Contact America | Explorations and Encounters | Aftermath of the Encounter

Urban Landscapes | Ritual, Ceremonies, and Celebrations | Language and Context | Recording History | The Heavens and Time

Guatemalan Lowlands. Maya, AD 600–900.
Chipped gray flint.
Jay I. Kislak Collection, Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress (17)

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Flints are usually found in cache vessels as offerings. Maya craftsmen were noted for their abilities in creating flints by "knapping," or shaping objects by breaking off pieces. The flints on display are labeled "eccentric" because of their abstract shape.