Pre-Columbian, Mayan, ca. 600 CE to 900 CE. A rarely seen type of Mayan vessel sits atop a rare style of three delicate stepped or T shaped tripod feet. It exhibits the white (now appearing more cream colored) background, red band and use of black line associated with the Maya Codex Style type. Size: 3H x 3-3/8W.

Maya vessels of this type are referred to as Codex style, due to the fact that the scenes and texts they display are reminiscent of the Maya Codices or books that were almost entirely destroyed by the Spanish after their invasion and colonization. This surface of this small vessel is saturated in Maya glyphic expression. It displays a sequence of finely rendered glyphs below a red band, which were boldly painted by a competent ancient Maya scribe to take advantage of almost the entire exterior area. Despite the typical wear (mostly on one side), which these vessels are notorious for due to the vulnerable white background, much of the original, readable glyphic inscription remains visible. Even the T shaped feet are a physical rendering of the Ik glyph, generally meaning wind, life, breath, or spirit, a glyph that is also part of the Maya sacred calendar. Reference: See Robicsek & Hales' important book, The Maya Book of The Dead: The Ceramic Codex, page 8, for a diagram and Codex Style vessel example showing this rare step, T tripod footed form.

Provenance: Ex-private K. Godsoe collection, Canada.

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#109288

Minor restoration to part of one of the stepped, “T” shaped tripod feet and to a small rim chip. A couple of minor, stable, faint stress lines remain on the bottom. Otherwise, minor abrasions weathering and wear and erosion to some parts of the painted features overall. Heavy root marks on the surface and mineral encrustation remains inside and out.