Description:

Pre-Columbian, Honduras or El Salvador, Maya, Copador style, Late Classic period, ca. 600 to 900 CE. A vibrant hemispherical bowl of shallow profile, boldly painted in the distinct Copador style - a regional ceramic tradition influenced by Maya and Central American aesthetics. The composition is crowned by a wide, outward-flaring rim and decorated with complex iconographic scenes on both its interior and exterior. Inside the bowl, six plump turkeys encircle the central medallion, each rendered in animated profile with curling feathers, crested heads, and boldly painted wattles. They appear to stride around a central rosette formed of four teardrop shapes arranged in a quartered cross, possibly representing the four cardinal directions - a cosmological motif often tied to concepts of order and fertility in Maya belief. On the exterior, five seated figures in elaborate headdresses - likely scribes or nobles - each grasp styluses or bark-paper codices, evoking the esteemed Maya tradition of elite literacy. Size: 7.8" Diameter x 3.3" H (19.8 cm x 8.4 cm)

Their expressive postures and costume details reinforce their ceremonial status, linking the vessel to themes of wisdom, power, and ritual performance.

Painted in iron-rich reds and dark umber blacks atop a creamy buff slip, the bowl displays hallmark Copador traits: stylized glyphic forms, animated linework, and a high-contrast palette. These features reflect the bowl's likely function as a prestige item - perhaps used in feasting, offerings, or elite gift exchange. An exceptional example of cross-cultural exchange and artistic refinement at the southern edge of the Maya world.

Provenance: Collection of Y. Kayvan, Los Angeles, California, USA, acquired from a Los Angeles, California, USA gallery acquisition dates range from the late 1990s to 2005

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#194724

  • Condition: Small chip to rim as well as some nicks and abrasions in areas, but, otherwise, intact and excellent with rich manganese deposits to surface.

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Shipping

SHIPPING LOGISTICS: As a courtesy to our clients worldwide, Artemis Gallery is happy to handle shipping for most lots sold, taking the hassle (and high cost!) out of having to arrange shipping on your own. Shipping costs will be added to your invoice at auction's end based on information given when you registered to bid - we strive to offer the most economical shipping costs to ensure safe transit. Our shippers of choice are DHL for International shipments and UPS for domestic shipments, but we are able to ship via other carriers at the buyer's expense as deemed necessary or by request.

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June 13, 2025 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000