Art of the Americas (600-1300 CE)

Maya Art and Architecture

Art and architecture from the Maya civilization during the Late Classic Period, 600-900 CE.

Chocolate vessel

Ceramic vessel, height 8 in. (20.3 cm), used by the Maya elite for whipped chocolate drinks during feasts.

Court scenes

Popular artistic subject for Maya painters depicting royal events.

Portrait head of Pakal

Stucco portrait of Pakal, height 16 ft. ⅞ in. (4.9 m), representing the ideal king with distinctive features.

Mosaic funeral mask of Pakal

Jade tesserae mask, height 8.5 in. (22 cm), from Palenque, Maya, c. 683.

Temple 1

Maya stepped pyramid in Tikal, Guatemala, height 154 ft. (46.94 m), used for elite rituals.

Central ball court

Maya ball court in Copán, completed 738, used for a pan-Mesoamerican rubber-ball game.

Pendant with bat deity

Gold pendant, height 5 ¼ in. (13.3 cm), depicting a zoomorphic figure representing a bat deity.

Wari Tunic

Tunic made of camelid fiber and cotton, 40¼ × 40¼ in. (1.02 × 1.02 m), created by Wari weavers.

Great Serpent Mound

Mound in Ohio, c. 1070, length over 1,300 ft. (over 400 m), believed to have served as an astronomical observatory.

Pipe, Adena culture

Stone pipe, length 8 in. (20.3 cm), used in tobacco-smoking rites before burial.

Seed Jar

Earthenware jar, 12 × 13 ½ in. (30.5 × 34.3 cm), probably used to hold seeds and suspended to thwart rodents.

Gorget with running warrior

Whelk shell gorget, diameter 4 in. (10 cm), depicting an active figure possibly referencing a decapitation ritual.

Glyph

A symbolic figure or character used in Maya writing.

Stucco

A material made of lime, sand, and water, used in Maya architecture and sculptures.

Roof comb

A decorative architectural feature on top of Maya temples.

Zoomorphic

Referring to art that depicts animals or animal forms.

Embroidery

The art of decorating fabric using needle and thread.

Warp and weft

The two basic components used in weaving to create fabric.

Rammed-earth

A building method that uses natural raw materials, compacted to create walls.

Earflares

Decorative pieces worn in the ears, indicating cultural contact.