This is what I know. My grandfathers father acquired this in exchange for some booze and a Donkey when he was a teenager from a white guy. My Grandpa was born and raised in Mexico and came to the United States later in life. I know its more than 100 years old because its been in our family that long. Is this something you can help with? Its 2 faces carved into a huge what looks like a Garnet rock. I'm assuming its from South America. My great grandpa was in Mexico I think when he got it.
12x12x12x approx 40 lbs
Hello, this item is a carved stone sculpture measuring approximately 12 x 12 x 12 inches and weighing around 40 lbs. The object appears to be a dense metamorphic stone, although unlikely to be garnet, which rarely appears in such large, sculptable form, possibly basalt or rhyolite. The surface bears two simplified facial motifs carved in relief, with oval eyes and broad lines, suggesting a symbolic or stylized aesthetic more than a naturalistic one. The rough toolwork and patination suggest some age, but no clear evidence of pre-Columbian manufacture is visible from the images alone. The story of acquisition, while colorful, is anecdotal and cannot be used to substantiate age or origin without further material or archaeological analysis.
While the form might initially evoke Mesoamerican or South American tribal motifs, the lack of formal iconography or stylistic markers from known cultures (such as Olmec, Teotihuacan, or Inca) makes attribution speculative. If genuinely pre-Hispanic, such pieces must be assessed through mineralogical analysis and comparison with documented artifacts. However, given its stylized simplicity, uneven carving, and absence of context, it is equally plausible that this is a 20th-century folk or outsider art object made for decorative or symbolic use. In its current state, and without definitive provenance or authentication, its market value lies more in the realm of folk art or unique collectibles, with an estimated value between $200 and $600 USD.