A Maya Panel with Three Glyphs Mesoamerica, Maya, c. 600-900 AD Carved in limestone, this finely executed ...

Description

A Maya Panel with Three Glyphs
Mesoamerica, Maya, c. 600–900 AD

Carved in limestone, this finely executed panel is composed of a vertical series of three glyphs, each separated by deeply cut channels. The upper glyph appears to represent a tied bundle of sticks, a form with calendric significance. The second is a stylized open hand with the fingers directed toward a human ear, possibly referencing writing, speech, or drawing. The lower glyph, surmounted by two dots, may represent another calendric element, perhaps incorporating a bar-and-dot numeral, or possibly the name of a scribe. Mounted to a wood and metal base.

The panel is especially appealing for the elegance and assurance of its carving. The glyphs are rendered with both clarity and grace, giving the sculpture a refined graphic presence as well as epigraphic interest. In good condition, weathered.

Provenance:
Robert and Marianne Huber, Dixon, IL since 1963

Published:
Karl Herbert Mayer, Maya Monuments: Sculptures of Unknown Provenance, 1978, Acoma Books, Ramona, CA

Height: 26 ¼ inches

Estimate: $2,000 - $3,000.

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