The most interesting feature of this bowl is its bottom. Indented lines radiate outwards from the center of the vessel at sharp angles, producing a lovely rhythmic effect. The concave...
The most interesting feature of this bowl is its bottom. Indented lines radiate outwards from the center of the vessel at sharp angles, producing a lovely rhythmic effect. The concave exterior rim of the bowl is decorated with a series of seated figures. Elegantly dressed in a feathered headdress, ear spools possibly made of jade, and a fanciful costume replete with flaring elements that extend from his back, this figure represents an elite member of the Mayan hierarchy, likely a king or shaman. The interior of the bowl is adorned with a series of painted turkeys. These charming birds hold what may represent a worm or other such grub in their beaks. Turkeys were a staple of the Mayan diet, and perhaps these birds were meant for ritual or daily consumption. Presumably, this bowl had a ceremonial function that is lost to us now, perhaps somehow relating to the painted imagery. How do the seated man and the turkey relate to each other? Discovered in a tomb, buried alongside a fallen ruler or important dignitary, this bowl was as essential for the afterlife as it no doubt was in this world.