A procession of three animals moves across this colorful vase: a monkey, a jaguar, and a coatmundi (similar to a raccoon). Certain characteristics identify them as supernatural creatures rather than actual animals, including the red scarf knotted around each animal’s neck, patterns on the jaguar’s front and rear paws and its blood-shot eyes, and the monkey’s long ear. The Maya buried cylinder vessels in tombs, served food and drink in them, and used them during rituals.
- Titles Cylinder Vessel (Descriptive)
- Artist Maya culture, Mexico, Belize, Guatemala and Honduras, 200 BC - AD 1000
- Medium earthenware and slip
- Dimensions 6 1/2 x 4 1/4 in. Diam. (16.5 x 10.8 cm)
- Credit Line Museum purchase with funds provided by the Committee for the Traditional Arts and the Traditional Arts Acquisition Fund, 1991.781
- Work Type vessel
- Classification Containers
- On View
- Signature Unsigned
- Provenance Private collection 1971. Vessel has been in the US prior to 1972 and was legally entered into the US at an earlier period (Kenneth Bower, The Lands Beyond, Ltd. - August, 24, 1991).
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