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patrickkapty.bsky.social
Monkey at the Center of the Spiral
ceramic, pigments
c. 300-850 CE
Maya culture
Mexico

#handmade #ceramic #pottery #mayaculture #ritual #monkey #spiral #platter #ancientart #art #precolumbianart #precolumbian #prehispanic #mexico #mesoamerica #symbolism #belief #religion #transformation #shamanism
August 6, 2026 at 5:15 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Maya Noblewoman holding a Quincunx
ceramic, pigments
c. 600-900 CE
Late Classic
Maya Culture
Mexico

#handmade #ceramic #pigments #noblewoman #quincunx #religion #belief #cosmos #fourdirections #center #spiritual #precolumbian #ancientmexico #ancientart #art #sculpture #prehispanic #MayaCulture
September 12, 2026 at 2:33 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
The rain-god Chaac erupts from his cave flanked by swirling cascades of water, and with a fisher-bird for his crest!
carved stone
c. 695-738 CE
Maya culture
Copan, Honduras

#handmade #art #ancientart #carved #stone #mayaculture #copan #honduras #chaac #snakebody #raingod #precolumbian #prehispanic
March 29, 2026 at 2:00 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
The Resurrected Corn God in a Tortoise Shell
carved green stone, pigments
Maya culture
c. 250-900 CE
Mexico

The resurrected Corn (Maize) God is born from the earth represented by the tortoise shell.

#handmade #carved #greenstone #MayaCulture #Mexico #Mesoamerica #MayanArt #precolumbian #corn #god
Not just a beautiful object, this carving has deep religious and philosophical significance. Carved from green stone which ancient Mesoamericans regarded as the stone of life representing new growth of young plants. The face of the Corn (Maize) god peeks out from the tortoise shell which represents the earth, the sustenance for life and life-giving crops like maize which were so important to the Mayans.
September 26, 2026 at 6:56 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Head Fragment with Nose Plug and Ear Spools
terracotta, pigment
c. 600-900 CE
Classic Period
Maya culture
Mexico

#handmade #head #earspools #noseplug #mayaculture #classicperiod #mesoamerica #precolumbian #ancientart #art #sculpture #prehispanic #precolumbianpottery #bodymodification #scarification
A pre-Columbian terracotta head fragment, from the Maya culture during the Classic period (circa 600–900 CE), characterized by stylized facial features a nose plug and large earspools. Crafted from fired clay or terracotta, this sculpture fragment features expressive modeling with a prominent nose ring or ornament, large circular earspools, and detailed linear hair texturing. Artifacts of this type often represent elite individuals, ancestors, or supernatural entities in Mesoamerican iconography.
August 18, 2026 at 2:13 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Maya eccentric 'flint'
obsidian
late Classic period
c. 550-900 CE
Maya culture
Mexico

#handmade #carved #obsidian #flint #knapped #ceremonial #religion #offering #ritual #mayaculture #lateclassic #mexico #mesoamerica #precolumbian #prehispanic #ancientart #art #craft #sculpture #scepter #axe
Maya Eccentric Flint, Late Classic, ca. A.D. 550 - 950 Delicately knapped with a royal figure wearing a serrated headdress and back rack, from obsidian. An eccentric flint, an elite chipped artifact of an often irregular ('eccentric') shape produced by the Classic Maya civilization of ancient Mesoamerica. Although generally referred to as "flints", they were typically fashioned from chert, chalcedony and obsidian. Eccentric flints are among the finest lithic artifacts produced by the ancient Maya. They were very technically challenging to produce, requiring considerable skill on the part of the artisan. Large obsidian eccentrics can measure over 30cm in length. Their actual form varies considerably but they generally depict human, animal and geometric forms associated with Maya religion. Most examples of eccentric flints have been recovered from caches interred under Maya monuments and buildings. Thus, a cache under the altar of Copan's stela M, at the foot of the Hieroglyphic Stairway, rendered three identical eccentric flints, each shaped like a human figure extending into a tang and evincing six human head outgrowths. Nine eccentric flints with human figures were found in an early Copan Temple room (Temple 16, Rosalila phase), and originally wrapped in a deep blue cloth, showing similar tangs. The presence of these tangs suggests that the examples concerned may originally have been set into a shaft or handle, possibly as the head of a sceptre or as the blade of a ceremonial axe. Some flint eccentrics were unsuitable for wearing or carrying and they may have been sculpted specifically to be buried as an offering. Eccentric flints were first categorised by western archaeologists in Belize in the first half of the 20th Century, when they were identified as ceremonial in nature. Small obsidian eccentrics have been found at the great metropolis of Teotihuacan in the Valley of Mexico.
June 14, 2026 at 2:15 PM
archaeologynews.bsky.social
New study shows ear piercing was a key childhood rite in ancient Maya society

A recent study offers a fresh perspective on what appears to have been an early rite of passage in ancient Maya childhood: the piercing and...

More info: archaeologymag.com/2025/12/ear-...

#archaeology #mayaculture
December 18, 2025 at 7:50 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Incense burner
terracotta, pigments
c. 700-1000 CE
Late Classic to early Post Classic
Maya
Guatemala

#handmade #art #ancientart #ancientpottery #chac #godofrain #Mayaculture #religion #belief #ritual #precolumbian #prehispanic #mesoamerica #guatemala #terracotta #incenseburner #sculpture #maya
This two-part incense burner combines, on its body, the face of the god Chac and, on its lid, the figure of a priest wearing the deity's mask, establishing a direct connection between the god and the officiant. Chac, the Maya god of rain and atmospheric phenomena, occupied a central place within the Maya pantheon, closely associated with the fertility of the land and the agricultural cycle. In ritual practice, priests could wear the attributes or mask of a deity in order to embody its presence during ceremonies. The incense burner was used for burning resins, particularly copal, whose smoke accompanied invocations and facilitated communication with the divine realm. The work is distinguished by the monumental scale of its composition and the richness of its decoration, where the superimposition of figures reflects a structured conception of ritual and of the relationship between humanity and the gods.
June 25, 2026 at 3:40 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Anthropomorphic pendant
jadeite
600-900 CE
Maya
Late Classic period
Mexico

#handmade #carved #jade #jadeite #pendant #mayaculture #lateclassicperiod #anthropomorphic #design #mesoamerica #precolumbian #prehispanic #ancientmexico #mexico #ancientculture #precolumbianjade #oneofakind #jewelrydesign
Anthropomorphic pendant depicting the head of a Maya lord shown in profile. The finely carved face is distinguished by a hieratic expression characteristic of elite representations, with full lips, a strongly defined nose, and almond-shaped eyes. The figure wears an elaborate headdress dominated by a stylized animal figure with an elongated snout and a prominent fang. The ear, integrated into the profile, is adorned with a circular ornament. The overall composition, with its deliberately composite and serpentiform forms, does not allow for a precise iconographic identification.
March 11, 2026 at 1:21 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Footed Jaguar Vessel
ceramic, pigments
Late Classic c. 600-900 CE
Maya culture
Lower Ulúa Valley
Honduras
(See ALT)

#handmade #footed #jaguar #vessel #mayaculture #lateclassic #lowerulúavalley #honduras #mesoamerica #precolumbian #prehispanic #scorpion #waterlilymonster #pottery #ancientart #art
Throughout Mesoamerica, a region spanning parts of present-day Mexico and portions of Central America, the jaguar was symbolic of spiritual, physical, and political power. This jaguar vessel is attributed to the Late Classic period (ca. 600–900 CE) from the Maya Lowland region in present-day northern Honduras. The top band at the mouth of the vessel depicts five painted scorpions, which often symbolize ceremonies involving bloodletting or auto-sacrifice by political elites or religious Maya leaders. The nourishment offered to the gods and ancestors during these rituals was partially intended to keep the human world safe from supernatural entities. Although the scorpion is an earthly creature, it was primarily associated with the Maya Underworld (Xibalba). In representations of the Creation, it can be seen peering into the human realm from Xibalba as it sits at the base of the World Tree (Wakah-Chan), which grows from the underworld and connects the earth to the heavens. The second band is a series of designs incised into the clay’s surface that represent the Waterlily Monster, a fearsome Maya Creation being. In some iterations of the Creation, the World Tree is seen sprouting from the Waterlily Monster’s skull that separates the realms, whereas in others it is shown at different parts of the tree, such as the trunk or branches. On this object the Waterlily Monster becomes a celestial barrier between the scorpions and jaguars. Painted around the body of the vessel, three spotted jaguars with sharp claws and teeth, emphasized in red, appear ready to pounce. The predatory feline’s relationship to earthly and otherworldly power made it a popular motif in Mesoamerican art, particularly when referencing rulers, warfare, and spirituality. In pairing the jaguar with the scorpion and Waterlily Monster, the vessel’s imagery may have served as an important reminder for maintaining balance and order between the natural and supernatural worlds.
July 31, 2026 at 2:45 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Monkey figure with cacao pod
ceramic, pigments
c. 600-950 CE
Maya culture
Mexico

#handmade #ceramic #pigments #monkey #cacaopod #mayaculture #mayanart #mayansculpture #precolumbian #prehispanic #religion #afterlife #burial #offering #popolvuh #myth #howlermonkey #spidermonkey #art #sculpture #food
The image shows a Maya ceramic figurine of a monkey holding a cacao pod, likely dating from the Late Classic period (AD 600–950).In Maya culture, monkeys and cacao were deeply intertwined through mythology, religion, and the natural world. According to the Popol Vuh (the Maya creation myth), monkeys were the survivors of an earlier, failed attempt by the gods to create humans out of wood. Despite being a "failed" creation, monkeys were highly regarded as divine patrons of scribes, artists, and musicians. Spider monkeys and howler monkeys are known for raiding cacao trees to eat the sweet pulp inside the pods. This natural behavior led the Maya to associate them with pleasure, gluttony, and abundance.
June 15, 2026 at 5:06 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Masked Male Figure with Dance Staff
ceramic with post‑fire applied pigment
C. 700-900 CE
Maya culture
Jaina Island, Campeche, Mexico

#handmade #ceramic #pottery #figure #dancer #festival #dance #mayaculture #jainaisland #mexico #mesoamerica #precolumbian #mayablue #prehispanic #pottery #art #craft
This ceramic Masked Male Figure with Dance Staff is a Maya artifact from Jaina Island, Campeche, Mexico, dating to approximately 700–900 CE. The figure is painted with a distinctive Maya blue pigment, an engineered, post-fire applied pigment created by combining indigo with clay minerals. It is currently held in the collection of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). The striking blue pigment on this figure is one of the ancient world's most impressive chemical achievements: maya blue.⁣ This wasn't a simple mineral or plant dye. it was an artificial pigment created through sophisticated molecular-scale engineering. the maya combined indigo (from the Indigofera plant) with a specific white clay called palygorskite (also known as attapulgite) and heated the mixture. this process forced the indigo molecules into the sub-microscopic channels of the clay crystals, trapping them. ⁣ The result was a hybrid pigment that is incredibly stable. it is highly resistant to sunlight, acid, and biological decay, which is why this color remains so vibrant more than 1,200 years after it was applied⁣.
June 14, 2026 at 1:46 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Hunchback Dwarf Vase
ceramic, pigments
c. 600-900 CE
Maya culture
Mexico

#handmade #hunchback #dwarf #vase #ceramic #pigments #mayaculture #mexico #mesoamerica #chileanmuseumofprecolumbianart #Santiago #Chile #precolumbian #prehispanic #earspools #jaguarskin #highsocialstatus #ancientart #art #maya
This is a Maya ceramic vase dating from 600-900 CE. It is fashioned in the form of a hunchbacked dwarf. The figure is displayed at the Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art in Santiago, Chile. It features painted details including jaguar skin clothing and large ear spools, indicating high status
July 15, 2026 at 12:50 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Presentation of Captives to a Maya Ruler, c. A.D. 785 bas-relief
limestone with traces of paint
c. 785 CE
Maya culture
Mexico

#handmade #limestone #pigment #sculpture #basrelief #art #mayanart #mesoamerica #mayaculture #ancientart #precolumbian #political #domination #defeat #mexico #ancientmexico
This carved relief probably served as a wall panel inside a Maya building or as a lintel over an entrance. It depicts the presentation of captives in a palace throne room, indicated by swag curtains at the top of the panel. The five figures are the Yaxchilan king, seated at top left, his sahal (a military chief) on the right, and three bound captives in the lower left. The glyphic text, which gives a date of 23 August 783, records the capture of a lord and a sacrificial bloodletting three days later under the auspices of the king. The three prisoners may be scribes; the one in front holds a “stick-bundle” associated with Maya scribes, and all three wear headdresses with hun (book) knots. All figures but the leftmost captive are identified by name. The inscription on the throne front, of special interest, is carved with the king’s name and titles; the glyphs are inscribed in reverse order, from right to left. The name of the artist responsible for sculpting the relief appears on the vertical panel of four glyphs under the sahal’s outstretched arm. Signed works of Maya art are rare, and the signature on this relief suggests that it was considered of great value in its time.
May 21, 2026 at 12:03 PM
duana517.bsky.social
Since childhood, I have been fascinated by ancient civilizations. Go to Yucatan Peninsula to explore the secrets of the Mayan tribe 😂👽✨

#ancientcivilization #mayaculture #yucatanadventure
#travelstory #mysteriousworld
#bucketlist #cultureexplorer
#unforgettableexperiences
#historylover #travelgoals
December 11, 2024 at 7:45 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Maya ajaw K'inich Janaab' Pakal
known today as Pakal the Great
Palenque
Maya Late Classic Period
603-683 CE

#precolumbian #prehispanic #mesoamerica #Maya #lateclassicperiod #palenque #pakal #pakalthegreat #jademask #deathmask #religion #afterlife #mayaculture #ancientamerica #archeology #mexico
Kʼinich Janaab Pakal I (Mayan pronunciation: [kʼihniʧ χanaːɓ pakal]), also known as Pakal or Pakal the Great (March 24, 603 – August 29, 683), was ajaw of the Maya city-state of Palenque in the Late Classic period of pre-Columbian Mesoamerican chronology. He acceded to the throne in July 615 and ruled until his death. There are many mysteries surrounding Pakal. Some think that he might have been an astronaut with the ability to reach outer space in a flaming vehicle, and others claim that he could time-travel. There is no doubt that he was a great ruler, and that his people benefitted from his many years of rule.
May 19, 2025 at 1:27 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Maya Glyphic Vase
ceramic, pigment
for ritual drinking of cacao
Classic period 700-850 CE

#ritual #vase #cacao #Maya #classicperiod #guatemala #handmade #codexvase #glyphicvase #ancientamerica #mesoamerica #mayaculture
Cylindrical vase with polychrome decoration featuring a stylized scene in which celestial or aquatic creatures with sinuous bodies and elongated snouts move within a deep black background evoking the underworld or night sky. The upper register displays a continuous glyphic frieze. The overall decoration, based on strong contrasts between black, red, cream, and orange slips, reflects the refined production typical of so-called "Codex" vases. Polychrome terracotta, black, red, beige, and orange slips (repaired break). Maya, Guatemala, Central Petén region, Classic Period, 700-850 AD 20.5 × 8.5 cm Provenance: Sotheby's NY sale, May 19, 2001, catalog no. 528 Private German collection The vase features the "Primary Standard Sequence" (PSS), a typical glyphic opening formula on Maya vases, followed by a ritual dedication: y-uk'ib' kakaw, "his vessel for cacao," along with the owner's name. The enigmatic figure at the center — likely a supernatural protective being - suggests a mythological narrative in which celestial serpents represent cosmic forces or channels of communication between worlds. This vase was most likely used for the ritual consumption of cacao in an aristocratic context. Through its craftsmanship, iconography, and elegance, the piece illustrates the fundamental interconnection between nature, writing, and the sacred in Maya civilization.
May 31, 2025 at 1:35 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Pendant
carved jade, pigment
Maya culture
circa 600-700 CE
Mexico

#jade #mayaculture #mesoamerica #pendant #mayanjade #carved #handmade #ancientjade #tikal #piedrasnegras #chichenitza #mexico #ancientmexico #precolumbian #prehispanic #archaeology #jadeite #pigment #oneofakind #carving #royaljade
This bright green jade pendant depicts a Maya ruler wearing the headdress of a supernatural being. The lower half of the highly polished stone is a naturalistic face of a Maya lord whose lips are slightly parted, as if about to speak. The face seems to emerge from the gaping jaws of the deity depicted in the headdress. The iconography of the jade ties it strongly with Maya beliefs about rulership, particularly its connection with divine powers (see 2007.134). The apex of the work terminates in a visual element that is common in artists’ depictions of crown jewels worn by Late Classic period (ca. 550 – 900 CE) kings and queens, especially in the 7th and 8th centuries. In fact, the pendant itself was likely a pectoral or a crown jewel, the centerpiece of a royal diadem, such as those found in the tombs of important historical figures. Fiber run through drill holes on the reverse side would have affixed the jewel to a bark paper or cloth fiber diadem, and multiple drill holes along the jaw of the ruler’s portraits would have allowed beads to dangle below. Red pigment in the drill holes indicates it was once part of a funerary assemblage, which the Maya often dusted with red minerals upon burial, as a king or queen took his or her jewels into the next life. The work is exceptional for its relative size, the beauty of the apple-green jade (the shade most preferred by the Maya), and the outstanding sculptural qualities of the work. The richly volumetric carving sets this work apart from known, flatter compositions. There are two other pendants of comparable quality and imagery. The first was created for a ruler at Piedras Negras, Guatemala, and later deposited in the Great Cenote at Chichen Itza, Mexico; it is now in the collections of the Peabody Museum at Harvard University. The second was excavated from Burial 77 at Tikal, which likely held the final ruler of the city before its abandonment in the 9th century.
August 15, 2025 at 12:22 PM
duana517.bsky.social
Since childhood, I have been fascinated by ancient civilizations. Go to Yucatan Peninsula to explore the secrets of the Mayan tribe 😂👽✨

#ancientcivilization #mayaculture #yucatanadventure #travelstory #mysteriousworld #bucketlist #cultureexplorer #unforgettableexperiences #historylover #travelgoals
December 11, 2024 at 6:30 PM
siga.spainculture.us
#PreColumbian #ArtHistory #FoodHistory #Archaeology #MayaCulture #IncaEmpire #Symposium

(3/3)
September 11, 2026 at 2:10 PM
fsoreauphotographe.bsky.social
Au Guatemala, Maximón défie toutes les catégories. Dieu et saint, Maya et catholique à la fois. Redouté et vénéré. Humain et sacré.

A lire ICI ou lien en bio :
www.soreau-photographe.com/maximon-guat...

#Guatemala #maximon #mayaculture #voyageauthentique #carnetdauteur #frédéricsoreau
Maximón, le saint guatémaltèque qui fume et qui boit : rencontre avec une divinité hors norme
Frédéric Soreau raconte sa rencontre avec Maximón, divinité syncrétique maya du Guatemala. Un extrait de son livre Guatemala – Voyage en terre maya.
www.soreau-photographe.com
May 11, 2026 at 11:45 AM