MAYA CEREMONIAL VASE
Ulua Valley, Honduras
800-1.000 a.D.
18 x 26 cm, Ø 20 cm
An export license is available for this lot
Provenance: Reinhard Kristermann collection, New York. References: Pennsylvania museum (Philadelphia), Museum of fine arts (Houston), Cleveland museum (Ohio), Museo nacional de antropologia (Mexico City), “I Maya” Bombiani Editore.
Ceremonial mortar in marble, finely embellished with engravings similar to spirals and with figures representing two jaguars, found in Ulua Valley, Honduras. It was used by a restricted ecclesiastical elite, the most important priests, during the prestigious Maya ceremonies of religious rites which took place at the top of the impressive temples. The proposed vase is a wonderful specimen of approximately 200 known (of which about 180 are now exhibited at the most important museums of the world). The main engraving, contained inside two opposite rings representing the snake, is formed by geometrical patterns and surrounds the two images of the Kukulkan25 God. Marks inside the vase show evidence of use presumably by priests during the ceremonies. The jaguar is used symbolically on the handles, so that the priest could be directly in contact with the totem and protector animal. The two Kukulkan’s images (in which is clearly visible his forked tongue, evident reference to the nature of the Snake God with feathers) are set in such a way that one is looking towards the rising sun and the other is looking at the priest celebrating the rite. This particular setting symptomatically reveals the main qualities of the civilizing Divinity, associated with the cycles of time, light, renewal and resurrection. Among the products that appear to have been in high demand were elaborate and intricately carved vessels made of white marble and crafted by skilled artisans in the Ulúa Valley during the first millennium A.D. These containers, representing both cylinders and drums, were decorated with sculpted scrolls or volutes that wrap around the exterior and frame zoomorphic or anthropomorphic figures emerging from opposite sides of the vase to form lugs or handles. The entire scene is often framed by a border of repeating geometric designs, including scales, voussures (repeating half-moon shapes), interlocking keys, and circles. The number of vases of which we know the existence (about 200) and the lapse of time of 200 years when they were created, would suggest a micro skilled tradition, rooted in the lower Ulua Valley during a period of three, four generations. It has been estimated that a master sculptor with 3 or 4 assistants could have produced not more than 50/60 vases during his whole lifetime. Though the Ulua Valley peoples had a considerable intellectual and governmental independence, they had deep contacts with their neighbours Maya.
This site uses cookies to improve user experience and to collect information on the use of the site. There are also cookies that can be used for the selection of personalized advertisements and promotional content. You can read our cookie policy, accept all cookies and continue browsing by clicking on "Accept" or customize your choice by clicking on "Customize".
To make this site work properly, we sometimes install small data files called "cookies " on your device. Most of the big sites do the same.
A cookie is a small text file that websites save on your computer or mobile device while you visit them. Thanks to cookies, the site remembers your actions and preferences (for example login, language, font size and other display settings) so that you do not have to re-enter them when you return to the site or browse from one page to another.
This site uses Google Analytics to collect information about the use of users of its website. Google Analytics generates statistical and other information through cookies, stored on users' computers. The information generated relating to our website is used to make reports on the use of websites. Googl
You can modify or withdraw your consent at any time from the cookie declaration on our website.
Find out more about who we are, how you can contact us and how we process personal data in our privacy policy .
The necessary cookies help to make the website usable by enabling basic functions such as page navigation and access to protected areas of the site. The website cannot function properly without these cookies.
Name | Supplier | Purpose | Expiry |
---|---|---|---|
cookieConsent | Bid Inside | Stores the user's cookie consent status for the current domain | 6 months |
PHPSESSID | Bid Inside | Preserve the user's status in the different pages of the site. | When the browsing session ends |
f_display | Bid Inside | The f_display cookies memorize the display mode chosen by the user in the pages where there are lists | When the browsing session ends |
f_page | Bid Inside | The f_page cookies store the page viewed by the user in the pages where there are lists | When the browsing session ends |
f_rec_page | Bid Inside | The f_rec_page cookies store the number of elements to be displayed per page chosen by the user in the pages in which there are lists | When the browsing session ends |
f_order_by | Bid Inside | The f_order_by cookies store the sorting parameter selected by the user in the pages where there are lists | When the browsing session ends |
f_order_dir | Bid Inside | The f_order_dir cookies store the ordering direction chosen by the user in the pages where there are lists | When the browsing session ends |
watch_list_show_imgs | Bid Inside | The watch_list_show_imgs cookie stores the user's choice to show or hide lot images on the watch list page | When the browsing session ends |
selected_voice | Bid Inside | The selected_voice cookie stores the voice selected by the user for the speech synthesis present in the live auction | 1 Month |
include_autobids | Bid Inside | The include_autobids cookie stores the user's choice to show or hide their auto-bids on the 'Your bids' page | 6 months |
Analytical cookies help to understand how visitors interact with the website, collecting and transmitting statistical information to the Data Controller.
Name | Supplier | Purpose | Expiry |
---|---|---|---|
_ga | Register a unique ID used to generate statistical data on how the visitor uses the website. | 2 years | |
_gat_gtag | Used by Google Analytics to limit the frequency of requests | 1 day | |
_gat | Used by Google Analytics to limit the frequency of requests | 1 day | |
_gid | Register a unique ID used to generate statistical data on how the visitor uses the website. | 1 day | |
__utma | Bid Inside | Used to distinguish users and sessions. The cookie is created when the javascript library executes and no existing __utma cookies exists. The cookie is updated every time data is sent to Google Analytics. | 2 years |
__utmt | Bid Inside | Used to throttle request rate. | 10 minutes |
__utmb | Bid Inside | Used to determine new sessions/visits. The cookie is created when the javascript library executes and no existing __utmb cookies exists. The cookie is updated every time data is sent to Google Analytics. | 30 minutes |
__utmc | Bid Inside | Not used in ga.js. Set for interoperability with urchin.js. Historically, this cookie operated in conjunction with the __utmb cookie to determine whether the user was in a new session/visit. | When the browsing session ends |
__utmz | Bid Inside | Stores the traffic source or campaign that explains how the user reached your site. The cookie is created when the javascript library executes and is updated every time data is sent to Google Analytics. | 6 months |
__utmv | Bid Inside | Used to store visitor-level custom variable data. This cookie is created when a developer uses the _setCustomVar method with a visitor level custom variable. This cookie was also used for the deprecated _setVar method. The cookie is updated every time data is sent to Google Analytics. | 2 years |
Preference technical cookies allow a website to remember information that affects the way the site behaves or presents itself, such as your preferred language or the region you are in.
We do not use cookies of this type.Profiling cookies are used for marketing purposes, to monitor website visitors. The intent is to display relevant and engaging ads for the individual user.
Name | Supplier | Purpose | Expiry |
---|---|---|---|
_fbp | Facebook Pixel, targeting and advertising cookie. This cookie allows us to show our advertising to people who have already visited our website, when they are on Facebook or on a digital platform supported by Facebook Advertising. | 6 months | |
Unclassified cookies are cookies that are being classified, together with individual cookie providers.
We do not use cookies of this type.