Maya Cylinder with Three Dancing Underworld Deities...

Description

Maya Cylinder with Three Dancing Underworld Deities

Maya Lowlands
C. 600-900 AD
Slipped and Painted Ceramic
7½" tall x 4¾" wide

The significant vessel shows three underworld deities, all with different zoomorphic attributes, and bordered by a primary band and secondary glyph columns. All three figures stand on thin rear legs with a human-like pose, one having a deer head, spotted jaguar tail and feet, and holds a disembodied eye. Another figure has a deer head and wears a long beaded necklace and bracelets, exposed male genitalia, and has a monkey tail. In its mouth, he holds a tree branch with a flower. The third figure, a rodent headed deity with long tail, wears a large tied padded textile around the neck, and holds a disembodied eye with a skeletal deity head before him. Separating each of the underworld  deities is a compound glyph column in black and orange while at the rim, a Primary Glyph band with compound head glyphs is painted between two red bands. The fine vessel is in excellent condition, having only one reattached shard at the rim, and a few stress lines being stabilized and retouched. The vase appears intact and has only a few surface scrapes retaining nearly all original paint, and light root markings. This lot requires third party shipping.

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