01 Photograph Gallery

02 Object Information

Description

Polychrome tripod vase with a dynastic hieroglyphic sequence. The text is divided into four vertical bands, each one with two columns of three glyphs. This vase mentions five Kanul Lords with their accession dates. It is one of twelve dynastic vases that have surfaced in museums and private collections, all of them with a similar text arrangement.

Past and current interpretations indicate that the rulers acceding to the throne belonged to the Kingdom of the Serpent and the Kanul Kingdom, meaning “where snakes are abundant”.

The exact location of this kingdom is not known since the Kanul Ahaw moved several times in history. It is believed that Nakbé was the primary seat of political power in the Middle Pre-Classic (800-200 BC) and El Mirador was the capital during the Late Pre-Classic (200 BC – 250 AD) when it was the largest city in the region -communicated with important centers through an extensive network of causeways and having the capacity of controlling a long distance trade route. During the Early Classic (250- 600 AD) though, it was located in Dzibanché and then moved to Calakmul, north of the Mirador “basin”.

Some differences appear among all these vessels, usually in the dates, which are either impossible or mythological and rarely correspond to their historical counterparts (those carved on monuments). The glyphs, which are highlighted in red, correspond to the holy days of the Tzolk’in, or 260-day calendar, because there is a strong association between these days and blood (Kantún, personal communication, 2013).

*Maya Lowlands, probably around El Mirador-Nakbé area

*Surface repainted in some sections, prior to entering La Ruta Maya Foundation

 

Period

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

Provenance

Maya Lowlands

Medium / Material

Clay

Technique

Modeled, Painting, Slip

Dimensions

Height: 13.3 cm
Diameter: 10.5 cm
Weight: 1.5 lb

03 References and Exhibitions

References to similar objects

– Very similar to vase K6751 by Justin Kerr. The Maya Vase Book Vol. 5. Kerr 1995.

– Thirty-Seven Glyphs. Robicsek and Hales. 1981. no. 126

– Documents sent by epigrapher Guillermo Kantún Rivera (Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán)

Exhibitions

1. “MAYAS, DEL AMANECER AL OCASO”. Musée du quai Branly en Paris, Francia
(Jun. 21- Oct. 31 de 2011)

2. “EL MUNDO DEL ARTISTA MAYA”. Centro de Formación de la Cooperación Española. Antigua Guatemala (Feb. 3 – Jun. 16, 2013)

3. EL MUNDO DEL ARTISTA MAYA. Centro Cultural Casa No’j Quetzaltenango (12 Agosto – 6 Septiembre 2013)

4. TREASURES OF THE MAYA SPIRIT. Los Angeles Convention Center. L.A. Art Show. (14 – 19 Enero 2014)

5. TESOROS DE LA RUTA MAYA. Sala Quiroa. Paseo de Los Museos. Hotel Casa Santo Domingo. Antigua Guatemala (Agosto 30 – Noviembre 30 2014).

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: 25 mayo 2017- 7 enero 2018)

7. “MAYAS EN SANTO DOMINGO DEL CERRO”. Centro Cultural Santo Domingo del Cerro, Antigua Guatemala (Ago. 16, 2018- Abril 20, 2019)

8. “OBRAS MAESTRAS DEL ARTISTA PREHISPÁNICO”. Centro Cultural Santo Domingo del Cerro, Antigua Guatemala (desde Diciembre de 2019 al 2 de febrero de 2022)

9. Biblioteca del Edificio CIT de la Universidad del Valle de Guatemala a partir de Marzo de 2022

Publications

1.  Diario El Quetzalteco. “”Presentan el Mundo del Artista Maya””. Miércoles 14 de Agosto 2013. Página 11.

2. “Cultura Prehispánica Resplandece”. Sección Cultura. Prensa Libre. Martes 5 Febrero 2013. Página 46.

3. “Mirada al Artista Maya”.  Diario El Periódico. Lunes 11 Febrero 2013.

4.  MAYA de l’aube au crépuscule. Connaissance des Arts, No. 497. 2011. Página 34. París, Francia.

5. Catálogo MAYA de l’aube au crépuscule. 2011. Página 201. Paris.

6. Transcription of the text by epigraphers Camilo Alejandro Luín, University of San Carlos de Guatemala; and Guillermo Kantún Rivera, Autonomous University of Yucatán, Mexico. (Documents in the Foundation).