Vessel with War and Sacrifice Themes

Exploring the Early Americas The Jay I. Kislak Collection

Pre-Contact America | Explorations and Encounters | Aftermath of the Encounter

Urban Landscapes | Ritual, Ceremonies, and Celebrations | Language and Context | Recording History | The Heavens and Time

Vessel with War and Sacrifice Themes (40.1)

Tall black-background vase with Teotihuacán-Maya war and sacrifice themes.
Guatemalan Lowlands. Maya, AD 600–900.
Polychrome ceramic.
Jay I. Kislak Collection, Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress (40.1)
Photo ©Justin Kerr, Kerr Associates

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Scholars disagree on the interpretation of this vessel. However, most believe that the vessel includes Teotihuacán and Maya cultural references. The two prominent “birds” include Teotihuacán military symbolism as well as the Maya sky god in his avian form.

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