Pre-Columbian, Mexico, Chiapas state, Maya, Classic Period, ca. 400 to 700 CE. An evocative pottery maskette portraying the Maya GI Deity with huge, bulging eyes and a broad, open mouth exposing a long, pointed tongue. A petite crest emerges from between the arched brows, just above his narrow nose, while his prominent nasolabial folds and a glabellar line accentuate the fleshiness of his visage, granting it a life-like naturalism. GI is one of the most mysterious Maya deities and some scholars describe his tongue as a shark's tooth and his fleshy cheeks as fish fins, giving him an association with water. Size: 2.6" W x 3.4" H (6.6 cm x 8.6 cm); 4.8" H (12.2 cm) on included custom stand.

Provenance: Ex-old private Ohio, USA collection, acquired in the 1970s; ex-private Florida, USA collection; ex-Minerva Gallery, Florida, USA

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#178879

Fragment of a larger piece. Some ancient losses with chipping to nose and peripheries, as well as softening of detail. Nice mineral and earthen deposits to surface. Metal sleeve adhered into maskette allowing it to be removed from custom stand without causing damage to the piece.