01 Photograph Gallery

02 Object Information

Description

Composite polychrome vase that combines two distinct styles of shapes and decoration: a Black on Cream Chinos bowl and a tall Cabrito Cream Polychrome cylindrical vase, displaying distinctive imagery of the “Holmul Dancer.” The edges of both the container and the vase have KAN symbols, very similar to other ceramics painted in these and other styles by the renowned artist Aj Maxam (Krempel and Matteo, 2012).

The decoration of the vase consists of a dedicatory formula below the rim and secondary glyph bands separating two panels on opposite sides of the vase, each one with the image of the Maize God, richly attired, in a dancing position. Both wear a “centipede headdress”, a spondylus shell as a pubic covering, and is ac

companied by a dwarf. (Nikolai Grube, personal communication).

The dedicatory text mentions U Chan Sak Bolay, “Hunter of the White Wildcat” as the owner. Additionally, two accompanying texts, painted over the dwarfs, identify the Maize Gods as patron gods of the sites of Machaquilá and Tikal. This suggests a deeper historical relationship between the royal dynasties of Tikal and Machaquilá in the Late Classic period (Nikolai Grube, personal communication).

The text also indicates that the vase was used as a container for drinking Iximnalte’en ka (ka) wa “corn-based kakaw” (Krempel and Matteo, 2012).

* The neutron activation analysis of the clay locates the manufacturing site in the surroundings of Naranjo, near the border.

* The pre-restoration photographs indicate that the vessels that compose it (bowl and vase) were joined in Pre-Columbian times.

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: 38.7 cm
Mouth diameter (vase): 10 cm
Base diameter (bowl): 11.5 cm

03 References and Exhibitions

References to similar objects

Reents-Budet, Dorie. 1994. “Painting the Maya Universe: Royal Ceramics of the Classic Period”. Duke University Museum of Art. Durham, NC

Krempel, Guido and Sebastián Matteo. 2020. “A Maizedancer Vessel Dedicated to Yax We’en Chan K’inich, Lord of Xultun”. The PARI Journal 20 (4):1-14 2020. Ancient Cultures Institute

Exhibitions

1.“MAYAS, FROM DAWN TO DUSK” (MAYA de l’aube au crépuscule). Musée du quai Branly in Paris, France (June 21 – October 2, 2011)

2. “MAYA: RULERS OF THE RAINFOREST”
Drents Museum, Assen, Netherlands (February 28- September 4, 2016)
Historisches Museum der Pfalz, Speyer, Germany (October 2, 2016- April 23, 2018)
Alicante Archaeological Museum, MARQ, Spain (May 25, 2017-January 7, 2018)

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

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

5. “MAYA: THE GREAT JAGUAR RISES” (2nd. Tour) Kansas City Union Station (August 2022-March, 2023) and California Science Center (April-September, 2023)

6. “MASTERWORKS BY THE PRE-COLUMBIAN ARTIST.” La Ruta Maya Foundation, Guatemala City (November 6, 2024 to May 31st, 2025)

7. “SOUNDS OF ANTIQUITY”. La Ruta Maya Foundation, Guatemala City (July 25, 2025 to July 25, 2026)

Publications

1. Magazine. MAYA from l’aube au crépuscule. Connaissance des Arts, No. 497. 2011. Page 34. Paris, France.

2. MAYA Catalog of l’aube au crépuscule. 2011. Page 201. Paris.

3. Krempel, Guido and Sebastian Matteo. 2012. “Painting Styles of the North-Eastern Peten from a Local Perspective: The Palace Schools of Yax We’en Chan K’inich, Lord of Xultun.” Contributions in New World Archeology (Vol. 3: 135-172). Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences; Jagiellonian University- Institute of Archaheology. Krakow

4. Discussion on Facebook. Important data of the object. Archived in printed file.

5. Catalogs of the exhibition “Mayas; Rulers of the Rainforest”.

6. Krempel, Guido and Sebastián Matteo. 2020. “A Maizedancer Vessel Dedicated to Yax We’en Chan K’inich, Lord of Xultun”. The PARI Journal 20 (4):1-14 2020. Ancient Cultures Institute