Pre-Columbian, Mayan Territories, ca. 7th to 9th century CE. A gorgeous hand-modeled pottery head, carved with its back blank to be positioned against a wall, with a corn cob as a headdress. The figure also wears huge spooled earrings and has a stylized face with bulging eyes, a large nose, fleshy lips. The pronounced brow gives it a geometric look. Is this the head of a lord, or the head of a god? The Maize God is well known from Maya artwork, often depicted, as in an example at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, with corn/maize paraphernalia. Those pieces of art, and this one, show a care and attention to lifelike detail given to the plant, which was the staple crop of the Mayan agricultural economy, and as such played a major role in their spiritual lives. It was so important that their cosmogony believed that humans were created from the plant. However, this piece may also be the head of a lord, because we know that Mayan royalty dressed to emulate the gods. Size: 7.2" W x 6" H (18.3 cm x 15.2 cm)

Provenance: Ex - private Seattle, WA collection acquired before 1990

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