Description:

Mesoamerica, Maya-Toltec culture, ca. 900 to 1200 CE. A compelling hand-built pottery vessel featuring the visage of Huehueteotl-Xiuhtecuhtli, the ancient Mesoamerican god of fire and time. Displaying trace remains of light blue pigment, this figural jar presents the deity seated with arms bent at the elbows and legs crossed beneath him, his angular body forming the vessel's bulbous contour. A deeply expressive face protrudes from the front, crowned with a tiered headdress and defined by almond-shaped eyes, full cheeks, a protruding nose, and a curled beard - the unmistakable markers of Huehueteotl, the 'Old God.' This deity embodied a powerful duality: known to the Aztecs as Huehueteotl, the aged fire god symbolized the slow burn of ancestral wisdom and the cyclical passage of time, while his youthful aspect as Xiuhtecuhtli represented sacred fire's life-giving force and the central hearth that sustained ceremonial and cosmic order. Size: 5.8" L x 6.6" W x 5" H (14.7 cm x 16.8 cm x 12.7 cm)

Revered in both Maya and Toltec traditions, he was a guardian of kings, a protector of the calendar, and a keeper of the flame linking humanity to the divine.

Enhancing the vessel's utility and visual symmetry are a pair of spike-shaped handles projecting from either side, along with two drilled holes behind the figure, likely intended to aid in gripping or suspending the vessel for transport. These practical features suggest the piece may have been used in ritual settings, where the jar could be carried or hung during ceremonies involving offerings, fire, or incense. The sculptural detail, combined with the vessel's functionality, speaks to a sophisticated intersection of art, devotion, and cosmology. Whether used in temple rites or displayed on a household altar, this vessel radiates sacred presence - a votive container shaped in the image of flame's eternal master.

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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#194268

  • Condition: Professionally repaired and restored; all done expertly and very difficult to notice. Light surface wear, but, otherwise, excellent presentation with rich detail and earthen deposits.

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May 30, 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