Description:

Pre-Columbian, Southern Mexico to Guatemala, Mayan Territories, Maya, Late Classic Period, ca. 550 to 950 CE. A stunning marble vessel with a feathered serpent head projected from the side and a petite marble bird dish with a shallow pan carved into the back. The serpent represents the deity Kulkulkan (Quetzalcoatl in Nahuatl, sometimes called Gukumatz in parts of the Maya world), the "Plumed Serpent" or "Feathered Serpent", the snake deity who has many parallels in other Mesoamerican cultures. Kukulkan's meaning to the Maya world is not fully understood, but we know that for the Aztecs, the same figure is associated with the wind, the creation of arts and crafts, and knowledge. A serpent is sometimes used in Mayan iconography as the embodiment of the sky itself. The other is a marble with a shallow pan on the creature's back - the head is weathered but likely resembled a bird or other zoomorphic creature. Size of serpent bowl: 10" L x 5.75" W x 2.5" H (25.4 cm x 14.6 cm x 6.4 cm)

Provenance: ex-Marc Amiguet Schmitt estate, Amiguet's Ancient Art, Evansville, Indiana, USA, acquired prior to January 1, 2010

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#175035

  • Condition: Snake bowl repaired from several pieces, with visible break lines on bowl as shown. Head is intact and excellent. Losses and abrasions to bird as shown, missing posterior area and stable fissure radiating from this area. Softening to details.

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October 27, 2022 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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