Guatemala, Mayan Ceramic Plate with Capybera and Glyphs
This beautiful plate features a Capybera, a giant rodent with an unusual large rectangular head that is native to South America. Cabyberas are highly social animals that inhabit dense forest areas and were hunted by the ancients as a meat source. There is a kill hole in the center of the plate above a glyph on the animal.
Period: Guatemala, Late Classic Maya, c. AD 550 - 950
Media: Ceramic
Price Upon Request
N6013
Guatemala, Mayan Ceramic Tripod Plate with Profile of a The Maize God Hun Hunaphu
The glyphs on this plate translate to LORD and the figure depicted is the Maize god Hun Hun Hunaphu. He is the father of the Hero Twins as told in the Maya creation myth, Popol Vuh. He can be identified by the extreme sloping forehead and tuft of hair on top of his head. He also wears a necklace with a pendant and elaborate ear ornaments. This plate has a "kill hole" above the eye, which was in the center of the plate. The plate was likely used to serve corn dumplings at a Mayan ritual feast. Private collection, acquired in Tokyo, Japan, prior to 1970.
Period: Guatemala, Late Classic Maya, Petan, c. AD 600 - 800
Media: Ceramic
Dimensions: Diameter: 12" (30.5 cm) x Height: 3"(8 cm)
Price Upon Request
n6014
Guatemala, Mayan High Walled Dish with Repeating Monkey Motif
This dish features a repeating scene of monkey serving a dish featuring a cacao pod with seeds, followed by a glyph with the sound of O. It is likely that the monkey is serving a chocolate dish; chocolate was revered by the Mayans as a life-giving substance. The bottom is attractively painted with a typical Mayan brush design.
Period: Guatemala, Late Classic Maya, Petan, c. AD 500-510
Media: Ceramic
Dimensions: Height: 2.5" x Diameter: 7.25"
$6,000
n5050
Guatemala, Mayan Polychrome Dish with Two Priests in the Motul de San Jose Style
This painted ceramic dish depicts two scenes. The first scene features two seated figures facing each other, separated by three glyphs. In this scene, the figure at right holds a staff and wears an elaborate headdress, while the figure at left wears a jaguar kilt and is making a gesture of resignation. The second scene depicts three figures, including a surrendering prisoner presenting himself to his captor, who is joined by a member of his entourage. Bishop Diego de Landa, c. 1524 - 1579, described the trope of captors and prisoners in Mayan art, referring to the “sign of resignation or humility before a conqueror or superior person.†This vessel also depicts a shaman wearing a black mask, who appears to be painting the glyphs and narrating the story. The glyphs on both sides of the vessel likely provide the names of the characters in the story.
This vessel was acquired from Gallery Hana in Tokyo, Japan, prior to 1970.
Period: Guatemala, Mayan, Petan, Late Classic c. AD 700 - 800
Media: Ceramic
Dimensions: Height: 4"
Price Upon Request
n5025
Guatemala, Mayan Tepeu 1 Style Mayan Painted Cylinder With Complex Palace Theme
This Tepeu 1 Style cylindrical vessel features complex iconography and a hieroglyphic inscription under the rim. There are two young, idealized male lords who likely represent Maize gods, as well as isolated floating motifs which are common in Mayan art. Deity heads with long snouts appear in front of the lords, possibly representing headdresses or possibly representing actual deities. The sets of three lines at the bottoms may represent stands or tripods for the masks. This vessel was reported on by Dr. Nicholas Hellmuth and exhibited at the MIHO Museum in Osaka in July of 2011. See Hellmuth's Late Classic (Tepeu 2) Vases: Throne Scenes essay for reference. Vases with Hieroglyphic Inscriptions Formerly in the collection of Hiroshi Miura, Tokyo, Japan, prior to 1969.
Period: Guatemala, El Peten Mayan, c. AD 650- 950
Media: Ceramic
Dimensions: Height: 7 1/2" x Diameter: 5 1/4" inches
$12,500
N5026
Guatemala, Mayan Tepeu 2 Polychrome Dish with "Fat Cacique" and Victim
This painted ceramic features 5 figures. In one scene, a staffbearer oversees another figure with a jaguar kilt who is making a gesture of resignation. The second scene depicts three figures, including a surrendering victim presenting himself to his captor, who is joined by a member of his entourage. The captor is a recognizable in the Mayan lexicon idenfied by scholars Jason Kerr and Nicolas Hellmuth as "The Fat Cacique."
Bishop Diego de Landa, c. 1524 - 1579, also described this trope of captors and prisoners in Mayan art, referring to the victim's posture as a “sign of resignation or humility before a conqueror or superior person.†This vessel also depicts a scribe wearing a black mask, who appears to be painting the glyphs and narrating the story. The glyphs on both sides of the vessel likely provide the names of the characters in the story. This vessel was acquired from Gallery Hana in Tokyo, Japan, prior to 1970. This vase is illustrated in Dr. Nicholas Hellmuth's book, Mayan Vases, in chapter Chapter 10: Tepeu 2 Vases- Throne Scenes.
Guatamala, Mayan, Petan, Late Classic, c. AD 700 - 800 AD
Media: Ceramic
Dimensions: Height: 4"
$8,500
n5025
Guatemala, Mayan Tripod Dish with Seated Figure
This painted Mayan tripod dish features eight repeating glyphs of deity heads in profile painted around the inside edge. The central seated figure is likelay shaman. He is holding two birds, which represent communication. There is a "kill hole" in the center of the dish. The back of the dish is painted with scallop design. Formelry in the collection of Hiroshi Muira, Tokyo, Japan, prior to 1980.
Media: Ceramic
Dimensions: Diameter: 11" X Height: 3 1/2"
Price Upon Request
n6012B
