This diminutive vessel rests comfortably into our two hands. The gentle curves of the bowl conform perfectly to our cupped palms. No doubt, this masterful work of Mayan pottery played an intricate role in long forgotten rituals. In our hands, this vessel exudes an ancient energy more lasting than time itself. Much like some believe ancient spirits continue to haunt the earth long after their death, sacred objects continue to retain their spiritual powers, accumulated through centuries of reverence, long after the civilization that created them fades into oblivion. This object is one such example. The entire vessel is painted in beautiful red, orange, and black hues against the soft yellow of the clay. The upper half of the bowl is decorated with a band of abstract stepped patterns. The lower half contains alternating images of a figure wearing a large plumed headdress and a stylized interwoven mat motif. Found in a tomb, surely this masterpiece was as essential in the next life as it was in this world.