Pre-Columbian, from ancient Maya regions (likely Guatemala), ca. 600 - 900  CE. This thin-walled example measures approximately 3-7/8"W x ~ 3" tall. Finished in a richly burnished chocolate-colored brown overall, featuring three very elaborate mold-made panels around the exterior. Each panel scene depicts the head of a Lord (or possibly a deity) emerging from the gaping maw of a serpent head. Such a depictions are well-documented and understood by scholars to represent the conjuring of a deceased ancestor, Lord or deity, who emerges from the mouth of a Vision Serpent (or Och Chan) - only possible through the auto-sacrificial blood offering of the participant. Careful examination of the panels reveals details such as feathered head dressing on the head of the serpent, and symbols representing breath or speaking on the part of the head of the emerging figure (consultation was the goal of the conjuring). The emerging figure is displaying a hand gesture of undetermined symbolic meaning (perhaps a greeting gesture), and there is a mirror glyph shown prominently just above the eye of the serpent head- associated with the appearance of supernaturals/deities.

Provenance: Ex-Neil Becker, New York, USA. Before that, former Ron Messick, USA collection. Before that, Marcia Corbino, Florida, USA collection (circa 1970)

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#101710

Repair to a large shard on one side (roughly halving the vessel), simply re-glued, showing only very thin, clean, stable break lines & stress lines. Otherwise, very minor chipping and abrasions to the surface, with mineral deposits inside and out