ID: 700000128 Page link: http://vocab.getty.edu/page/cona/700000128	Record Type: Movable Work
Images: 1

Vessel, Mythological Scene (cup (drinking vessel); Metropolitan Master (Mayan vase painter); 8th century; Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York City, New York state, U...; 1978.412.206)

Note: This cylindrical drinking cup is the magnum opus of the Maya vase painter known as the Metropolitan Master. The overarching theme of this vessel is the necessary interaction of life-giving rains and rotting death, the contrasts needed to produce life. The young rain god, named Chahk. In his right hand, he grasps the wooden handle of a shining stone axe, and his left hand holds an animate stone. The rain god actively engages with a giant agnathus creature (lacking a lower jaw), likely the representation of a witz, the spirit of a mountain, as his leg crosses in front of the upper lip while his left arm passes behind. The mountain monster has a feathered eyelid present on crocodilians in Maya art. Most significant about the zoomorphic mountain is the character reclining on top of it: the supernatural baby jaguar. The face of the jaguar baby character is clearly supernatural and contrasts sharply with Chahk’s more human-like visage. Almost touching the baby jaguar is a frightening creature of the night, with a skeletal head marked with bone sutures and two extruded eyeballs. This is likely a death god, a denizen of the Maya underworld Xibalba, who plays a role in this myth of the birth of the baby jaguar.

Titles:

Vessel, Mythological Scene (preferred,C,U,RP,English-P,U,U)

Catalog Level: item

Work Types:

cup (drinking vessel) [300043202] (preferred)

..... (Objects Facet, Furnishings and Equipment (hierarchy name), Containers (hierarchy name), containers (receptacles), <containers by function or context>, culinary containers, <containers for serving and consuming food>, <vessels for serving and consuming food>, drinking vessels)

Classifications:

ceramics (preferred)

Pre-Columbian art

Creation Date: 8th century

Creator Display:

Metropolitan Master (Mayan vase painter) [preferred,VP]

artist Metropolitan Master (Maya vase painter, 7th-8th century) [500372813]

Locations:

Creation: Petén [1000727] Guatemala (nation), North and Central America (continent), World (facet) (Geographic)

Current: Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York City, New York state, United States) [500125157] Corporate Bodies (Corp. Body)

Repository Numbers: 1978.412.206

Display Materials: terracotta

	terracotta (clay material) [300010669]
	.......(Materials Facet, Materials (hierarchy name), materials (substances), <materials by composition>, inorganic material, clay, <clay by product>)

	vase painting (image-making) [300343820]
	.......(Activities Facet, Processes and Techniques (hierarchy name), <processes and techniques by specific type>, <image-making processes and techniques>, <painting and painting techniques>, painting (image-making))

Dimensions: H. 5 1/2 x Diam. 4 1/2 in. (14 x 11.4 cm)

Cultures:

Mayan (Maya) (preferred)

General Subject:

religion and mythology (preferred)

utilitarian objects (isness)

Specific Subjects:

	Xibalba [901000045]
	.....((Maya legendary places, Maya iconography, Amerindian iconography, Legend, Religion, Mythology)) (ICON)

	Chahk [901002210]
	.....((Maya characters, Maya iconography, Amerindian iconography, Legend, Religion, Mythology)) (ICON)

	Baby Jaguar [901002211]
	.....((Maya characters, Maya iconography, Amerindian iconography, Legend, Religion, Mythology)) (ICON)

	underworld (doctrinal concept) [300343823]
	.....(Associated Concepts Facet, Associated Concepts (hierarchy name), <religions and religious concepts>, religious concepts, doctrinal concepts) (AAT)

	death [300151836]
	.....(Activities Facet, Events (hierarchy name), events (activities), personal life events) (AAT)

	ax (tool) [300024664]
	.....(Objects Facet, Furnishings and Equipment (hierarchy name), Tools and Equipment (hierarchy name), equipment, <equipment by process>, cutting equipment, cutting tools) (AAT)

	altar (religious fixture) [300003725]
	.....(Objects Facet, Components (hierarchy name), components (objects parts), <components by specific context>, architectural elements, <architectural elements by building type>, religious building fixtures, <altars and altar components>) (AAT)

	celebration [300152441]
	.....(Activities Facet, Events (hierarchy name), events (activities), cultural events) (AAT)

	sacrifice (religious ceremony) [300263243]
	.....(Activities Facet, Events (hierarchy name), events (activities), cultural events, ceremonies, religious ceremonies) (AAT)

	ceremonial object [300234117]
	.....(Objects Facet, Object Genres (hierarchy name), object genres (object classifications), <object genres by function>) (AAT)

	jaguar (species) [300310389]
	.....(Agents Facet, Living Organisms (hierarchy name), living organisms (entities), Eukaryota (domain), Animalia (kingdom), Chordata (phylum), Vertebrata (subphylum), Mammalia (class), Carnivora (order), Felidae (family), Panthera (genus)) (AAT)

	skeleton (animal component) [300191778]
	.....(Objects Facet, Components (hierarchy name), components (objects parts), <components by specific context>, biological components, animal components, <skeletons and skeleton components>) (AAT)

	rain [300055377]
	.....(Associated Concepts Facet, Associated Concepts (hierarchy name), scientific concepts, physical sciences concepts, earth sciences concepts, <weather and related phenomena>, precipitation) (AAT)

List/Hierarchical Position:

..... Movable Works

.......... Movable Works by class: decorative and utilitarian works

Sources and Contributors:
Vessel, Mythological Scene	........ [VP]
	........ Metropolitan Museum of Art [online] (2001-)

Subject: ....... [VP]

Note:
English	..... [VP]
	..... Metropolitan Museum of Art [online] (2001-) accessed 10 February 2005