There is a divine presence in this work. It
watches over us as it watched over a deceased
Mayan king. Seated with her hands on her knees,
this diminutive figurine emits an aura much
greater than her stature would suggest. She
wears elaborate jewelry, including a beaded
necklace with a pendant, a skirt seen just
beneath her pointed breasts, circular ear
ornaments, and an arching headdress with
projecting lines and circles. Who does this
figurine represent? A god? A protective spirit? A
deceased relative? Any of these answers might
be correct; however, the most revealing factor to
the identity and importance of this figurine is the
location of its discovery. Found in a tomb, buried
alongside a fallen ruler or dignitary, this
sculpture was clearly as necessary to have in the
afterlife as it was in this world.
- (PF.0637)
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