Cleveland Museum of Art

Vessel with Deity Mask

Date

1200–900 BCE

Medium

ceramic, traces of pigment

Culture

Central Mexico (Las Bocas, Puebla?), Olmec, Formative Period

Department

Art of the Americas

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

This unusual vessel is made of a U-shaped container and a sheet of clay modeled as a deity mask that is startling in its power: pierced eyes glare from the shadow of a muscular brow; the chin juts aggressively; and the part-bird, part-jaguar mouth opens in a shriek. This may be the face of the Olmec rain deity, the inspiration for much Olmec ritual and many accomplished works of art. The vessel may come from a grave or a buried offering.

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