A Maya Copador Cylinder Vase, Classic Maya Period, ca. 500 - 800 CE

Painted in earthy tones of red, orange, and black against an orange-tan background and framed by upper and lower glyph bands, with the upper band featuring glyphs in the form of heads in profile, together with various solid bands and geometric elements.

The Maya used cylinder vessels to drink a highly-prized frothy beverage made from cacao, a refreshing drink that was highly appreciated at court. It could be sweetened with honey, smoked with vanilla, and seasoned with salt or chili. Vessels of this type were painted with painstaking detail, as they were reserved for use by the elites during banquets, similar to the concept of today's fine china. Each city-state had its own unique motifs and scenes, and rulers would often gift cylinder vessels as diplomatic gifts.

Medium: Clay

Dimensions: Height: 6 1/8 inches (15.5 cm), Width: 5 inches (12.7 cm)

Condition: Repaired from approximately four large pieces, general light paint wear, otherwise complete and in good condition overall.

Provenance: Estate of Howard Handler, NY, (1942 - 2021), a retired Senior Foreign Service officer and longtime international development expert, acquired in the 1960’s.