Sculptural vessel representing sacrifices presided over by Aia Paec in the mountains

This bottle shows a well-known scene as it has been represented in various similar pieces. This is a celebration of ritual sacrifice in a mountain involving a number of characters headed by a central figure prostate on the highest peak. A reddish band emerges from the body of this central character and flows down, suggesting that it is blood. This flow seems to be the manifestation of broader concepts related to fertility and the sacred role fulfilled by the mountains. The scene suggests an analogy between human blood as a life-giving liquid, and the water flowing down from the peaks to the fields. The entire scene is probably the condensed version of a ritual or a more elaborate mythical narrative. (JQ)