This simple painted bowl, used as a cacao drinking vessel, is decorated with vertical two-tone brown on cream bands, imitating a wooden texture. It has slightly curved-divergent walls and a flat base. Residues of red slip inside.

A dedication text runs along the upper rim and indicates that the vessel was made for the consumption of “fruity cocoa” (y-uk’ib ta yutal kakaw) and its dedication to a high-ranking person with the title “sacred chatan person” (k’uhul chatahn? winik).

From other inscriptions we know that the Chatan Winik were a ancient noble family that lived in the north of the Peten in Guatemala and the south of the Mexican state of Campeche. The Chatan Winik family later was incorporated into the powerful Kaan dynasty of Calakmul.

The text reads “Alay tz’i[h]b’ -naj yich yuk’ib’ tayut[al] ka[ka]w K’uh[ul] Chatan [Winik]”

* Paraphrase: “here it is presented; the surface [that] was written; [of] the vase to drink the cacao fruit; [of] the wise ball player of Chatán”

(Description and reading of the text by Epigrapher Lic. Camilo Luín (USAC. December, 2012) and Dr. Nikolai Grube (University of Bonn, 2019).

Height: 11.2 cm;
Diameter: 14 cm

1. “MAYA ART AND NATURE THROUGH TIME.” “David J. Guzmán” National Museum of Anthropology, El Salvador (February 26-May 24, 2009)

2. “THE WORLD OF THE MAYAN ARTIST.” Spanish Cooperation Training Center. Antigua Guatemala (February 3 – June 16, 2013)

3. “THE WORLD OF THE MAYAN ARTIST.” Casa N’oj Cultural Center, Quetzaltenango (August 12- September 6, 2013).

4. “TREASURES OF THE MAYA SPIRIT”. LA Art & Antique Show. LA Convention Center, California (enero 4 al 9, 2014)

5. “FLAVORS OF MESOAMERICA: The Pre-Columbian origin of regional gastronomy.” Spanish Cooperation Training Center, Antigua Guatemala (August 14, 2014- January 5, 2015)

6. “MAYA: RULERS OF THE RAINFOREST”
Drents Museum, Assen, Holanda (28 febrero- 4 septiembre, 2016)
Historisches Museum der Pfalz, Speyer, Alemania (2 octubre, 2016- abril 23, 2018)
Museo Arqueológico de Alicante, MARQ, España (25 mayo 2017-7 enero 2018)

7. “MAYAS IN SANTO DOMINGO DEL CERRO”. Santo Domingo del Cerro Cultural Center, Antigua Guatemala (August 16, 2018- April 20, 2019)

8. “MASTERWORKS BY THE PRE-COLUMBIAN ARTIST.” Santo Domingo del Cerro Cultural Center, Antigua Guatemala (from December 2019 to February 2, 2022)

9. “MAYA: THE GREAT JAGUAR RISES” (2nd. Tour) Kansas City Union Station (agosto 2022- marzo, 2023) y California Science Center (abril-septiembre, 2023).

10.”MASTERWORKS BY THE PRE-COLUMBIAN ARTIST.” La Ruta Maya Foundation, Guatemala City (Since November 6, 2024)

1.  “Mayan Art and Nature through Time“. Exhibition catalog. Year 2009. Page 10.

2. “The World of the Mayan Artist is presented in Quetzaltenango”. El Quetzalteco Newspaper. Wednesday, August 14, 2013. Page 11.

3. “Pre-Columbian Culture Shines”. Culture Section. Free press. Tuesday February 5, 2013. Page 46.

4. “A Look at the Mayan Artist.” El Periódico newspaper. Monday February 11, 2013.

5. “Mayan Art in El Salvador.” Free Press Culture Section. Thursday March 3, 2009.

6. Luín, Camilo. December 2012. “Notes on some hieroglyphic texts from the La Ruta Maya Foundation. PDF Doc”