Ear Flare

250 - 1500 CE
Unknown Artist (Mesoamerican)

Object Type	Marsden Hartley Memorial Collection
Dimensions	1 x 2 3/4 x 2 3/4 in. (2.54 x 6.99 x 6.99 cm)
Medium	Greenstone
Credit Line	Bates College Museum of Art, Marsden Hartley Memorial Collection, Gift of the Marsden Hartley Estate, 1951.2.90
Accession Number	1951.2.90

Earflares of this shape, with the sharp break between the front surface and the insert shaft, have been found throughout Mesoamerica, but are particularly associated with Central Mexico (western Mexico to the Gulf Coast regions). Mottled greenstone, too, was used throughout Mesoamerica but is widely present in the lapidary art from West Mexico, especially Guerrero. Compare with the earflares from Guerrero at The Metropolitan Museum of Art (www.metmuseum.org), and two at The Art Institute of Chicago (identified as from Oaxaca and dated 500 BCE-1000CE; 1957.279, 1957.280) (www.artic.edu/collection).