01 Photograph Gallery

02 Object Information

Description

Anthropomorphic mold to manufacture figurines, with the negative image of a male character slightly kneeling on his left knee and with his right foot resting on the ground.

He holds his right hand in front of his chest in a gesture, with the fingers facing up. With his left hand he holds a conch shell over his shoulder, as if listening to a conch shell or perhaps holding a conch trumpet.

The hair is tied up with ribbons and fabric, with a headband decorated with a series of vertical plates above the forehead.  He wears a hip cloth with a knotted belt, hanging earflares with what appear to be animal fangs, wristlets, decorated sandals, and a beaded necklace with a rectangular breastplate.

*Probably from the Cobán area in Alta Verapaz

Period

CLASSIC (150/200 A.D.-900 A.D.) Late Classic (650-900 AD).

Provenance

Guatemalan Highlands

Medium / Material

Clay

Technique

Grooving, Incised, Modeled, Punctate

Dimensions

Height: 22 cm
Width:15 cm

03 References and Exhibitions

References to similar objects

*Collection of molds in the custody of the La Ruta Maya Foundation

*Collection of molds in the custody of the Museo Maya Aragón

Exhibitions

1. En exhibición en el MUSEO PRÍNCIPE MAYA (Cobán, Alta Verapaz) hasta que fue recibida por la Fundación La Ruta Maya en octubre de 2010

2. Banco de Occidente (Mayo – Noviembre 2014)

3. “LA FIGURA HUMANA Y LA DECORACIÓN CORPORAL PREHISPÁNICA”. Centro de Formación de la Cooperación Española, Antigua Guatemala (Ago. 25, 2016- Feb. 26 2017)

4. “LAS IMÁGENES DE LOS DIOSES MAYAS EN EL SIGLO XVI: El Encuentro de Dos Mundos”. Centro de Formación de la Cooperación Española, Antigua Guatemala (julio 16, 2019- marzo 1, 2020)

Publications

Van Stone, Mark and Paul Johnson. 2022. MAYA MOLD MADE: Virtual impressions of ancient figurine molds in the Ruta Maya Foundation collection. Tlacaélel Press, San Diego, California. 430 pp.