HM 1183

HM 1183:Hero Twins
AD 600-900, Guatemala

Description: Appraisal96 Appraisal97 Appraisal98 Worldviews Chama-style cylindrical vase that is red, orange, black, and brown on a cream slip on exterior; interior is a reddish-brown slip. Vase has traditional black and white chevron motif bands around the rim and base. The artist divided the vase’s surface into two halves, separating the surfaces with a 25mm vertical band on each side. The separating band contains a cross-hatched diamond pattern (reminiscent of diamond-back rattlesnake?). The human figure in one panel has the right arm thrust forward with palm held downward while figure in the other panel is in a similar position with palm helds upward. Both figures include elaborate feathered back racks. The vase’s bottom has been reconstructed and there are vertical cracks on interior and exterior of the vase. Some paint loss is evident. Painting the Maya Universe: Royal ceramics of the Classic Period pages 188-197, discusses the stylistic characteristics of Chama-style pottery. William P. Palmer III Collection Guatemala, Maya Highlands, Alta Verapaz Chama Late Classic AD 600-900 Kerr info (1995): Shows dancing figures of young corn god wearing lavish feather headdress and costume separated by columns of textile. This is a prototype for the two Lee Moore fakes extant. Lee Moore had the piece at one time before Merrin did. He painted the same scene on an Early Classic plain cylinder and planted it at a site in Guatemala. The pieces were for years published and accepted as legitimate. This piece is the real one.