Maya Incense Burner

Practically indestructible, Maya Blue had long been a chemical mystery. It wasn't until scientists studied the remains of an offering found in this three-legged Maya incense burner, housed in The Field Museum's collections, that the mystery was solved. While scientists knew that indigo leaves and a specific fine, white clay were the basic components of the color, the incense provided the key ingredient. Called copal, this tree sap produced the long lasting, low-grade heat that completed the mixture's magical transformation.