Description:

Pre-Columbian, Guatemala, Mayan, ca. 550 to 950 CE. A tall terracotta cylinder that is skillfully carved in low relief with an intricate iconographic program depicting the Mayan Old God standing in profile, elaborately dressed with highly decorated garments and a magnificent headdress - one figure on each side of the vessel. Above is a band of stylized glyphs. Size: 4" in diameter x 8.875" H (10.2 cm x 22.5 cm)

For the Maya, extraordinary ceramic vases like this example were gifted to elite individuals, akin to the gifts exchanged between high profile dignitaries today. Vases were a functional gift, created by artist/scribes who came from elite families and who took pains to recreate the stories of Mayan mythology and religion as well as to depict royal and godly personages in their artwork. This artwork reinforced the ruling ideology and reminded the viewer of what was valuable in Mayan society.

Provenance: private Southern California, USA collection, acquired in the 1970s to mid-1980s

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#141548

  • Condition: Chip to rim with a stable 1.5" fissure radiating from it. Normal surface wear commensurate with age. Incised imagery is very vivid.

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January 24, 2019 7:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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