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Napolskikh T. “Gifts to the Animals”: Еtiological Motif in the Classic Maya Pottery (c. 250 to 900 CE)

Taisia Napolskikh
Russian State University for the Humanities
Moscow, Russian Federation
ORCID: 0009-0008-8020-6805
E-mail: tasya.napolskih@gmail.com

 

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ABSTRACT. The religious and mythological beliefs of the Classic period Maya (c. 250 to 900 CE) contain complex motifs, the interpretation of which is complicated by their diversity and the absence of unified systems, such as a pantheon of deities and their clear hierarchy. However, combination of iconographic analysis, study of hieroglyphic texts, as well as methods of comparative mythology allows to interpret some of these motifs. One of the main sources of Classic Maya mythology are the scenes on painted and carved pottery. This article examines one motif depicted on at least twelve vases, which previously were not evaluated as part of a single narrative. Analysis of the iconography and inscriptions on the vessels made it possible to determine the main structural elements of this motif: various animals and birds come to the supreme deity Itzamna (Itzam Kokaaj), receive a task related to obtaining food or drinks and, after completing the task, are endowed with distinctive features (tails, wings, colouring, etc.). Episodes of this motif often take place in the heavenly court, with Itzamna surrounded by his zoomorphic courtiers. Other animals that perform tasks and receive gifts c can be either zoomorphic or supernatural beings that take part in other mythological narratives. Thus, Mayan ceramics depict episodes from etiological myths, which form one of the foundations of archaic mythology.

 

KEYWORDS: Mesoamerica, Ancient Maya, iconography, mythology, epigraphy, etiological motifs

 

FOR CITATION: Napolskikh Т. “Gifts to the Animals”: Еtiological Motif in the Classic Maya Pottery (c. 250 to 900 CE). Kunstkamera. 2025. 3 (29): 116–127. (In Russian). DOI: 10.31250/2618-8619-2025-3(29)-116-127

 

DOI 10.31250/2618-8619-2025-3(29)-116-127
UDC 7.046(399.7)

 

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