Mayan Cylinder Vessel from Guatemala in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, December 2022

Title: Cylinder vessel

Date: 7th–9th century

Geography: Guatemala, Naranjo, Peten

Culture: Maya

Medium: Ceramic, pigment

Dimensions: H. 12 1/8 × D. 6 9/16 in. (30.8 × 16.7 cm)

Classification: Ceramics-Vessels

Credit Line: Loan courtesy of the Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, VA, gift of Edwin Pearlman and museum purchase

The surreal creatures that populate these vessels—three white dogs; a peccary, or wild pig, eating fire—pertain to the realm of dreams and spirits that manifest while sleeping. Indeed, captions on each vessel identify the characters as way (dreams) belonging to lords of specific cities. These images relate to acts of sorcery—powerful people could harness them to inflict sickness and damage on their enemies


Text from: www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/820283