![Mayan - Vessel, Mythological Scene [7th-8th century] by Gandalf's Gallery](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7336/12831025104_a07b3de9ee.jpg)
During the eighth century the ancient Maya made numerous straight-sided ceramic vessels that were painted around the outside with elaborate, multi-figured scenes. Many of the scenes were mythological in content, depicting events that took place in the underworld, the realm of the Lords of Death. Such a scene is illustrated here, in a monochrome painting or drawing in what is called the "codex style," because of its similarity to that of the few Precolumbian Maya books, or codices, that exist today. Codex-style vessels are thought to have been made in the north-central part of Guatemala's Petén Department.
The animated scene shows a lively, dancing figure holding a long-handled axe behind him in his right hand, and a raised handstone in his left. In front of him on a monster-head altar lies a deity figure known today as Baby Jaguar. On the other side of the altar appears, also dancing, a skeletal death figure with arms outstretched. While the scene has been interpreted as one of sacrifice, another interpretation holds that it is one of celebration.
[Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York - Ceramic, 14 x 11.4 cm]