A blood-drawing Ceremony Painted on a Maya Vase

Abstract

The scence to be discussed is painted on a polychrome vase in University Museum, Philadelphia, wich institution I am indebted for permission to reproduce it. This piece has published a number of times. It is said to have found near Huetenango, Guatemala, but certanly was not made there. The upper half of the vessel carries a design of two groups of person separated by hieroglyphs. A band of 14 painted hieroglyphs separates scence from the lower part of the vessel wich is decorated with a pair of heads of the of the long-nosed god with Imix headdress and without lower jaw. These are separated by heads of the same god in horizontal position, but without Imix signs.