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Carved Vessel
c. 600-1000
The Cleveland Museum of Art
Cleveland, United States
A firefly is carved on both sides of this Maya vessel, which is from the Yucatán Peninsula. Among the most common of insects to appear in Maya art, the firefly seems to be associated with things that twinkle in the dark—stars and cigars, the latter a symbol that identifies creatures of the night.
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Details
- Title: Carved Vessel
- Date Created: c. 600-1000
- Physical Dimensions: Overall: 12.1 x 16.3 cm (4 3/4 x 6 7/16 in.)
- Provenance: (Black Tulip Galleries, Inc., Dallas, TX, 1958, sold to James C. and Florence C. Gruener), James C. [1903-1990] and Florence C. [1908-1982] Gruener, Cleveland, OH, bequest to the Cleveland Museum of Art, The Cleveland Museum of Art
- Type: Ceramic
- Rights: CC0
- External Link: https://clevelandart.org/art/1990.173
- Medium: earthenware
- Fun Fact: The text on the rim mentions a young man, suggesting this vessel was involved in a rite-of-passage ceremony.
- Department: Art of the Americas
- Culture: Mexico, Campeche, Maya, Chocholá Style
- Credit Line: Gift of Mr. and Mrs. James C. Gruener
- Collection: AA - Mesoamerica
- Accession Number: 1990.173
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