The Classic Maya period was an age of profound
intellectual and artistic achievements, when the Maya
built monumental pyramids and magnificent urban
centers in homage to their gods. At a time when the
Western world languished after the fall of the Roman
Empire, the New World experienced an age of imperial
grandeur, when great city-states like Tikal and Copán
proclaimed Mayan hegemony over the emerald forests of
Mexico and Guatemala. Theirs was a sophisticated but
startlingly brutal civilization— wars were waged not for
land or prestige, but for blood, for slaves sacrificed atop
the great pyramids to appease the god’s insatiable lust
for human flesh. The Mayan world was an arcane realm
where the earth was contiguous with the heavens and the
underworld. It was a society infused with spiritualism, a
society that reflected both the majesty and savagery of
the rain forests. Like the ancient societies of the
Mediterranean, ceramic forms were vital to the Mayan
economy and traded alongside coveted resources such as
Jade, obsidian, flint, and shells.
The Maya believed the universe was divided into three
parts: the Over world (heaven), the Middle world (the
world of humankind), and the Underworld (hell). All three
were considered interconnected and accessible through
"doorways", or through Shamanic ritual. It was believed
the Underworld could be entered through a cave or
through bodies of standing water, such as a lake or
ocean. To comprehend the nature of these three worlds
and the beings that inhabit them was important to daily
life of Maya society.
Mayan art was composed of a complex symbolic
language with deeply important social functions. Mainly
commissioned by kings and other elite figures, works of
Mayan art fulfilled both political and social purposes.
Because the art functioned as a type of language, to be
understood by the entire population, a certain
consistency in subject matter and its portrayal was
necessary. Whether on a cylinder vessel or a great mural,
Maya art essentially depicts ritual. The impressive Maya
ceremonies, recorded for posterity in their art, were
crucial events in the lives of the kings, and consequently
important to society as a whole. In Maya believe, an actual
ritual ceremony is directly connected with the art which
represents it; both conceived of as a power process that
transformed spiritual beings into corporeal beings on the
human level, and allowed people and objects to become
the sacred beings they represented.
In the 9th and 10th centuries AD, the productivity of the
southern regions went into decline for reasons that are
still uncertain (although ecological causes are the
likeliest option), although the northern areas continued
to flourish on a reduced scale until the arrival of
European forces and the subsequent decimation of Native
American cultures across both continents. What is left,
however – particularly dating to the Classic Period –
includes art and other achievements that many consider
to be the most refined and beautiful of the ancient New
World. Stucco, mural painting (notably with the use of
“Maya Blue”, the secret of which has been lost since the
16th century) and sculpture were all of an astounding
quality and naturalism, with some sophisticated
expressionistic tendencies.
Holding this piece in our hands, we begin to understand
why the term “head-breaker” is used as a nickname for
these objects. Clearly it would not be an enjoyable
experience to receive a blow from this heavy, carved hunk
of volcanic stone. Originally attached to a wooden shaft,
this device would have been a most deadly weapon.
However, considering the great beauty of this work, it
was more likely used as a centerpiece in religious
ceremonies or sacrificial rituals. Today, we are moved by
this piece not out of fear for the damage it is capable of
causing, but out of awe for its stunning beauty and
expert craftsmanship. As connoisseurs might relish the
beauty of an antique gun, one can easily appreciate the
quality and artistry this mace head represents. The
donut-shape of the head has been decorated with the
highly stylized features of a jaguar.
