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Maya tripod vessel

Maya tripod vessel with lid
AD 350–450
Kaminalijuyú, Guatemala
Clay
27 x 11 cm
Purchased from Judy Small
23/2217

This orange ceramic jar with its castellated base and modeled cover exemplifies the skill attained by Mayan potters during the Classic Period, ca. AD 250 to 900. The vessel’s shape, design, color, and decoration date its production to the first part of this period, when Kaminaljuyú, the largest city of the ancient Maya in the highlands of Guatemala, experienced a cultural transition. There is evidence that, during this time, the wider Mayan region established closer ties with Central Mexico. This jar and others like it are thought to be examples of such interaction, especially with the city of Teotihuacán.

The history of Kaminaljuyú, the largest city of the ancient Maya in the highlands of Guatemala, dates back to 2000 BC. The city was abandoned around AD 900. For nearly 3,000 years, the Maya leveraged the abundance of resources that were found nearby, especially such valuable stones as jade and obsidian. The figure decorating the lid wears the headdress of an ahaw, or noble, and a necklace and ear ornaments representing precious stones. These elements confirm the status of the owner. Such vessels were often used in funerary offerings.

—Edgar Suyuc (Kaqchikel Maya)

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