---
title: Olmec Celtiform Ax
author: Metropolitan Museum of Art
source: https://www.worldhistory.org/image/8622/olmec-celtiform-ax/
format: machine-readable-alternate
updated: 1970-01-01
---
# Olmec Celtiform Ax
_Authored by Metropolitan Museum of Art_
## Image File
[](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/8622.jpg)
## Image Caption
Jadeite [celt](https://www.worldhistory.org/celt/), 10-4th century BCE, Mexico, Mesoamerica Metropolitan Museum of Art About 1000 BCE, [celts](https://www.worldhistory.org/celt/)-elongated, elliptical ground stone tools-would acquire meaning beyond their workaday function. When made of greenstones such as the hard, polishable jadeite, celts symbolized ears of maize. The profile image incised on the upper portion of this celt is that of the [Olmec](https://www.worldhistory.org/Olmec_Civilization/) maize [god](https://www.worldhistory.org/God/), identifiable by the tall tripartite element emerging from the cleft in his headdress.
## Cite This Work
### APA
Art, M. M. o. (2018, April 16). Olmec Celtiform Ax. *World History Encyclopedia*.
### Chicago
Art, Metropolitan Museum of. "Olmec Celtiform Ax." *World History Encyclopedia*, April 16, 2018. .
### MLA
Art, Metropolitan Museum of. "Olmec Celtiform Ax." *World History Encyclopedia*, 16 Apr 2018, .
## License & Copyright
© [Metropolitan Museum of Art](http://metmuseum.org/), NY. As part of the [Met's Open Access policy](https://www.metmuseum.org/about-the-met/policies-and-documents/open-access), the Metropolitan Museum of Art has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to this dataset. [Original image](https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/310467) by [**Metropolitan Museum of Art**](https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/310467). Submitted by [Ibolya Horváth](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/horvath.ibolya/ "User Page: Ibolya Horváth"), published on 16 April 2018. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Copyright](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright). You cannot use, copy, distribute, or modify this item without explicit permission from the author. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.