This is an exceptional tall stone mortar of the Transition Style. Beautiful serpentine stone coloring with an excellent spiral perforation on the tail. Valdivia region, Ecuador. Ca. 2000 B.C. - 300 B.C.

Near Choice. Measuring a massive 9 1/2" long by 5" tall and 3" wide.

During the Late Formative period, there developed a great interest and desire for green stones in general. They were exotic in most areas and would have been sought in exchange over long distances as it became widespread use in domestic and mortuary contexts. The dramatic growth in popularity of green stones also occurred at about the same time in Mesoamerica.