Lot 161A
Maya Ulua Valley Polychrome Cylinder Vessel w/ Birds
Maya Ulua Valley Polychrome Cylinder Vessel w/ Birds
Starting Bid: $550
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Pre-Columbian, Maya, Ulua Valley, Honduras, Late Classic period, ca. 600 to 850 CE. A boldly painted Maya polychrome cylinder vessel from the Ulua Valley, its broad surface animated by a dynamic band of stylized birds with sweeping crests and stepped beaks, rendered in deep red and black against a burnished orange ground. Thick vertical lines punctuate the central frieze, dividing the composition into rhythmic segments, while rows of glyphic motifs encircle the top and bottom borders, framing the avian procession. The birds appear to move in deliberate formation, their bodies articulated in an angular, abstracted mode characteristic of Late Classic Ulua style. Their form may allude to the mythical avian creatures associated with sky deities or the emergence of the sun in Mesoamerican cosmology. The glyphs that border the composition resemble Ulua adaptations of Maya hieroglyphs, often decorative in nature, though likely meant to invoke the prestige of script rather than literal transcription. Size: 6.3" Diameter x 6.5" H (16 cm x 16.5 cm)
This vessel, with its robust profile and slightly flaring rim, would have been used to hold cacao or another valued liquid, transforming ritual consumption into an aesthetic and symbolic act. It reflects the region's position as a cultural crossroads, where local ceramic traditions absorbed and reinterpreted Maya courtly aesthetics.
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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#195075
- Condition: Some chipping to pigment and stable hairline fissures extending down from rim, as well as nicks and abrasions throughout, commensurate with age. Otherwise, intact and very nice with rich earthen deposits on interior.
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| 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 |