PRECOLOMBIAN CERAMICAS    <--BACK

Cylindrical Vessel Mint  16.6 x 14.7 cms.

Classic MAYA, dated between 593 and 672 a. Chr Ceramic Zacatel in cream colour with mineral pigments in red, brown and black. Mint Museum of Art, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA

Origin unknown, Peten Guatemala.   (Yaxha-Naranjo)

Two thorough images of the deity G1 -Chak Xib Chak- fill the surface of this vessel.      On this piece of work we can observe the extraordinary technique of the Mayan painters, who have manipulated the background paint, putting black as template base, to get that the main figure stands out in a transparent water colour.                

With different saturations of iron oxyd they managed to get the colours red, orange and brown, which is characteristic for the ceramics of that region, which is today located in the low rainforests of of Belize, Peten Guatemala adn Campeche Mexico.   

In the glyphic inscription on the rim a message of the Lord of the underworld can be read, which is as well repeated in the two diagonal inscriptions.