This striking portrait vessel, found along the coast of Mexico in Veracruz, makes a powerful impression. The highly expressive facial features are just slightly exaggerated and stylized. The ears, flared and pointed, are decorated with large ear plugs. His elegant arched eyebrows, half-massed eyes, and archaic smile draw us into his meditative spell. Was the artist depicting man or deity? Or perhaps even a ceremonial ballplayer? We can tell that he was once adorned with nose and ear jewelry, which indicates that he w as undoubtedly a figure of great importance. This portrait, whether a God, man, or a shaman, was important enough to be portrayed on a vessel that at one time was probably used as a ceremonial drinking cup. Our minds must travel back in time to imagine not only who drank from this, but what the consequences might have been.