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HOME :
Pre-Columbian Art :
Mayan Art : Mayan Half Skull/Half Face Mask
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Mayan Half Skull/Half Face Mask - PF.3562
Origin: Guatemala
Circa: 6
th
Century AD
to 9
th
Century AD
Dimensions:
7.75" (19.7cm) high
x 7.125" (18.1cm) wide
Collection: Pre-Columbian
Medium: Terracotta
Additional Information: SOLD
$3,600.00
Location: United States
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| Description |
The Maya in their great temple cities
reached the
summit of the classical age in ancient
Mesoamerica. In those temple cities,
great
artistic expressions such as murals and
sculptures flourished. It is during
this classical
period in which artists refined their
skills to
represent the human forms, deities, and
other
symbolic art works. Used in various
rituals and
ceremonies, their art embodied rich
symbolism,
laden with complex meanings, which
largely
remain esoteric. A fine example of the
magnificent Mayan sculpture, this
terracotta
mask depicts a dramatic image of life
and death-
-half of the face in flesh and the other
half in
the skull. The flesh part of the face
shows an
open eye and an open mouth revealing
teeth.
The other half shows a skull with a
hollow eye
socket. Moreover, the mask also has
earspools
and small, round holes for its
functional use.
Ancient Meso-Americans firmly believed
in life,
death, rebirth, and afterlife. Even
after death,
they believed that people experience
rebirth
following their journey through the
underworld.
Accepting the natural cycle of human
life, the
ancient Mayans were not afraid to
confront the
concept of death. Incorporated in their
daily life
and rituals, the idea of life and death
are often
expressed in various art forms.
Possibly used in
ritual performances, this magnificent
mask grabs
our attention in an instant. As we look
into the
artwork, we are invited to confront the
inevitable
idea of life and death, and we are
reminded of an
ancient culture and its images that
flourished
hundreds of years ago.
- (PF.3562)
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