Migrating Maya Jewels: Mayan Vase - Nahuales/Elements Journey to the Underworld

This episode focuses on a significant piece of pre-Columbian Mayan art housed at the Birmingham Museum of Art in Alabama: a polychrome cylindrical vase from the Petén region of Guatemala, dating between 250 and 900 A.D. The vase is notable for its artistic quality, symbolic richness, and the enigmatic depiction of three animal figures – a monkey, a jaguar, and a coatí (pizote) – portrayed as nahuales, spiritual entities in Maya belief. The referenced article explores the potential meaning and context of these figures, linking them to the Mayan underworld and funerary practices, while also highlighting the vase's journey to the museum and the importance of preserving Mayan cultural heritage.Reference: https://soymigrante.com/revista/joyas-mayas-migrantes-un-jaguar-un-pizote-y-un-mono-caminan-juntos-en-museo-de-alabama/