Pendant 7th-5th century B.C. Maya This green jade pendant is carved with a scalloped edge to resemble one-half of a bivalve shell. The front face of the ornament follows the undulating profile of a paper-thin lens of bright green jade, indicating that the artist sought to uncover and emphasize its beautifully saturated color. The rest of the pendant is composed of a somewhat duller shade of lighter blue-green. The back of the pendant is slightly convex, and though it has been smoothed, it was left unpolished. The face, on the other hand, has been polished to a high, reflective shine. This contrast between the two sides of the pendant emphasizes the jades resemblance to a shell, with its slightly convex, dull exterior set against a shining, almost pearl-like interior. The two L-shaped suspension holes drilled through the back and straight edge of the ornament indicate it originally hung with its scalloped edge facing downward. The pendant was discovered by archaeologist Edwin Shook in