Whistling ceramic vessel that represents an ancestor ML031834

This sculptural ceramic whistling bottle represents an ancestor. This piece consists of a bottle attached to a sculptural container that depicts a naked man with body paint. This personage is adorned with a crown formed by small bird figures. The nose of the character has been depicted as a bird's beak. The character wears large ear ornaments, symbol of his high rank, and a necklace formed by human-heads beads. He holds a bowl in his hands. This personage probably represents an ancestor or community leader after his death, since he is depicted naked, but adorned with ornaments that emphasize his transformation into a being associated with superior forces. His ornaments mainly link him with the birds and with the heads obtained in ritual combat as offerings. The intention to clearly show the male sexual organ may have been to communicate that his ancestor is still a fertilizer in the inner/under world. He is an ancestor that has the ability to fertilize the earth, and also carries a bowl that shows his relation with water. (UH)

Esta botella silbadora escultórica de cerámica representa un ancestro. Esta pieza está compuesta por un recipiente posterior unido a un recipiente escultórico que representa a un hombre desnudo con el cuerpo pintado. Este personaje está adornado con una corona con pequeñas aves. La nariz del personaje ha sido representada en forma de pico de ave. El personaje lleva unas orejeras de gran tamaño, símbolo de su alta jerarquía, y un collar formado por cuentas que representan cabezas humanas. Lleva entre las manos un cuenco. Probablemente representa a un ancestro o jefe comunitario tras la muerte, ya que se le representa desnudo, pero ataviado con adornos que enfatizan su transformación en un ser vinculado con las fuerzas superiores. Se trata principalmente de adornos que lo vinculan con las aves y con el tema mitológico de las cabezas ofrendas conseguidas en combates rituales. La intención de mostrar el órgano sexual masculino puede haber sido comunicar que este ancestro aún ejerce sexualmente, es decir, puede fecundar al mundo subterráneo. Es un ancestro que tiene la capacidad de fertilizar la tierra, y además, lleva un cuenco que muestra su vínculo con el agua. (UH)