Polychrome vessel with three seated human figures

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONThis is a Maya vessel with depictions of human figures in elaborate dress.WHERE WAS IT MADE?This vessel was made in what is now Mexico.HOW WAS IT MADE?This bowl was likely hand-built with the coil method. In this method, a base is made by shaping clay into a flat disc. Then hand formed coils of clay, like ropes, are successively added to one another, building up the walls of the bowl. A tool such as a wooden paddle is used to smooth the sides both inside and out, leaving no trace of the coils. Before the bowl was fired, it was painted with slip. Unlike resin-based paints applied after firing, which wash off if scrubbed and burn off when heated, slip-painted decoration is relatively resistant to ordinary wear and tear. Slip paint is made by mixing different-colored clays or ground mineral pigments with water. Although some colors are naturally present in the clay, others can be made by adding powdered minerals to clay; for example, minerals high in iron produce rich oranges and reds, while those containing various forms of copper produce blues and greens.HOW WAS IT USED?The function of pre-Columbian ceramic vessels is not easy to ascertain. Were these vessels made for the dead, fancy grave goods with specific religious or mythical imagery, or were they treasured possessions used in life? Or both?Although most pottery made in the past was functional ware used to cook, store, or serve foods, more elaborate pieces also conveyed social information. It appears that pre-Columbian people may have had special pots for display in their homes or for use during special occasions.WHY DOES IT LOOK LIKE THIS?This deep bowl with tall sides has a rounded base with black and red painted decoration on an orange ground. Look at the three seated human figures with elaborate headdresses and costumes that circle the exterior of the vessel. They sit with their arms extended in front, holding spears decorated with stone points and feathers. They wear black body-paint, and have long plumy extensions rising from their backs or shoulders. Although these figures may appear quite other-worldly to us, there is no evidence that they represent deities or gods.To see other Maya vessels in the Johnson Museum’s collection, search for object numbers 70.040, 72.092, 76.016.001, 76.016.003, 2000.096, 2006.070.422, and 2006.070.423 in the keyword search box. ABOUT THE MAYA CULTURE:The Maya civilization was one of the premier civilizations of Mesoamerica, achieving great masterpieces of art and architecture, a sophisticated calendrical system, and a formal system of writing that has only been deciphered in the past several decades. A much more detailed view is emerging of the Mayan city-states located in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, Belize, and adjacent areas of Guatemala and Honduras. Although the exact details of the Maya collapse in the 800s are still controversial, it appears that excessive warfare and violence, coupled with environmental degradation and the stress of a large population, led to the demise of this once-vibrant culture. Populations crashed, with survivors of the urban centers dispersing to more rural areas.