Lot 2A
Pre-Columbian, Mayan Territories, northern Guatemala, Peten Basin, Late Classic Period, ca. 550 to 900 CE. A wide plate with slanted sides and a slightly flared rim that is unpainted reddish ceramic on the exterior and beautifully painted and iconographically dense on the interior. A band of varied glyphs depicting humans, animals, and agricultural products rings the interior below a dark red band around the rim. In tondo is an abstract depiction of one of the "Old Gods", possibly K'inich Ahaw, the sun, known for his hooked nose. In a hot climate prone to drought, the sun god could be a figure of fear, and K'inich Ahaw was also the dangerous nighttime Jaguar God of the Underworld. Size: 11.3" W x 1.75" H (28.7 cm x 4.4 cm)
The decoration of the interior of the plate is that of a "codex style" vessel. The glyphs and iconography were hand drawn by a skilled artisan in a fine-line painting technique using a monochrome red slip that would have been made from clay mixed with plant-based compounds and possibly some iron oxide. Mayan scribes seem to have wanted to mark the ownership of valued things, and registers of glyphs often give the owner's name and/or describe the item.
The Peten region was one of the most densely populated regions in the world during the Maya period, home to several million people and many powerful urban areas, each of which would have had their own Popol Nah, a special area for nobles to meet. This plate may have been used in one of them, with its fine artwork indicating that it belongs to an elite member of society.
Provenance: private R.D. collection, Long Beach, California, USA collection, acquired over 25 years from various major galleries.
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#124289
- Condition: Repaired from two large pieces, with some small chips to the rim. Nice paint remaining with very clear motifs.
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