Rare Maya Lidded and Carved Rectangular Vessel, Southern Campeche region, Late Classic, ca. A.D. 550-950

the ceremonial lidded box resembling a vaulted temple with the handle forming a roof comb, incised and carved in relief on all four sides and the pyramidal lid with scenes of ritual encounters and blood sacrifice involving elite dignitaries and dwarf subordinates, depicting on one long side two young lords facing each other with arms raised in lively gesture, each seated crosslegged, one on a mat, the other on a three-legged throne indicative of higher rank, each holding a pointed implement in the lap, possibly an eccentric flint for bloodletting, and wearing netted turban indicative of divine status, plumes and ties piled above, with jade pectoral and loincloth, a pedestal bowl between them laden with bloodletting accoutrements including spotted paper and a crosshatched element referring to the sacredness of blood, a glyph band between them including their names, possibly representing "vulture", the reverse long side divided into two registers, the upper with two lord's heads in profile, adorned with composite ear ornaments and avian-headed headdresses, between them a branched staff with a serpent coiled around it (reminiscent of the ceremonial serpent bar), the lower half with opposed ahau vulture heads, one narrow side panel with a dwarf gesturing and facing right, wearing the net turban and long sashed loincloth, the opposite short side carved in bipartite fashion with two heads facing each other, the one on the right possibly the severed dwarf head, on the left a regal profile, below them a U-shaped bowl, the domed lid with one long side showing the torso of a dancing and gesticulating figure wearing a finely spotted tunic and crosshatched loincloth with ties swirling to the side, a cursory glyph band before him, the reverse long side of the lid depicting a severed head (possibly the dancer on the reverse) adorned with similar ear ornaments and resting on net patterned sashes, the two short panels of the lid each with incised glyphs of stylized animal heads including vulture and fish(?) and reference to sacrifice, the base engraved with a nine-petaled floral medallion; finely burnished overall, some recessed areas with remains of bright red pigment.

Berle H. Adams Collection, (Sotheby's, November 24, 1986, lot 143)

California Private Collection (Sotheby's, May 17, 2000, lot 151)

Los Angeles, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1975-1983

 

This vessel is one of the three known lidded boxes of similar style from the Late Classic period. Two others are published in The Maya and his World (Coe 1973: cat. nos. 78 and 79). The former now in the collection of the San Antonio Musuem of Art, is certainly made by the same workshop or artist, showing nearly identical shape and carved scenes (ibid: 138-139, cat.  no. 78). Both vessels share references to bloodletting and ritual sacrifice, and include audience scenes between regal dignitaries, (perhaps referencing the Hero Twins), and a subordinate dwarf figure.

The artist burnished the clay to a lustrous finish and executed the carving and incising while the clay was in a leathery state prior to firing. The fluid style of carving is somewhat carefree, some physiognomy is exaggerated but details are carefully maintained. The framing panels are adhered to in all sides except the short side with the dancing dwarf figure, where he steps out of the border, as if exiting the walls of the vessel itself.