Description:

Pre-Columbian, Mayan territories, Peten region of Guatemala, ca. 600 to 900 CE. A delightful pottery bowl presenting a hemispherical form supported by a ring-form base and an exterior hand-painted with jaguar spot motifs. Known as the "king of beasts" in the Pre-Columbian world and infamous for possessing high speed and massive strength, the jaguar was believed to dominate nature and inspire respect and awe throughout the ancient Americas. Jaguars were associated with strength and leadership, whether regarding spirituality or martial skill. A ceremonial "kill hole" can be seen on the base of this example; dishes like this would be ritually sacrificed by the creation of this hole and placed in the tomb as an offering. Size: 7.1" Diameter x 3.9" H (18 cm x 9.9 cm)

Warriors, rulers, hunters, and shamans alike associated themselves with the jaguar, the largest and most powerful feline in the New World whom they viewed as not only the king of beasts but also as their spirit companion and protector. According to a dramatic narrative in the Popol Vuh, the protective hero twin Xbalanque, possessing a zoomorphic phenotype with jaguar skin, fought the monster macaw Vucub Caquix with his twin Hunahpu, and the hero twins defeated the monster.

Provenance: private Lumberton, Texas, USA collection; ex-Heritage Auctions, New York, New York, USA, December 5, 2010, auction #6056, lot #56110 (1 of 2)

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#183622

  • Condition: Original kill hole on base with some stable fissures and chipping on underside. Age-expected nicks and abrasions as shown, but otherwise, mostly intact and in excellent condition. Impressive preservation of painted detail and nice root marks throughout. Accompanied by old heritage collection label.

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February 1, 2024 8:00 AM MST
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Artemis Fine Arts

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