MAYA PENDANT OF A JAGUAR HEAD |

Fine Arts of Ancient Lands, New York (inv. no. 3609)
Howard and Saretta Barnet, New York, acquired from the above on January 12, 1982

Overall very good condition, slightly worn on the proper right side at the back, but details of carving are excellent. Slight wear and shaling on parts of the shell surface, to note on the top back of the head. The large central perforation appears to be an ancient flaw in the shell. Please note short nubs at the top and front of the head are probably remnants of longer projections.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The elaborate headdresses, clothing and jewelry of the Maya included layers of small shell, bone and stone ornaments attached by tiny perforations or suspended as independent jewels. This shell pendant of a jaguar's head may have been the central disk for a set of earrings. It is carved from a thin section of Spondylus princeps, the spiny oyster shell, a rare and valued commodity obtained only through exchange networks. Finely carved with a fierce profile head, the feline’s lips are curled back revealing fangs with a thick band of finely incised pelt fur surrounding the mouth, the narrowed eye is recessed within a crosshatched band that curves up to the back, and the pierced earflare at the back shows the rosy section of the shell. The jaguar, or bahlam, was one of the most important animals to the Maya, and its spirit and image were invoked in a myriad of artistic formats. They were the greatest hunter of the forest, an adept creature capable of night vision; as wayab, or alter ego to many elites, most notably the mythic Hero Twin Xbalanque, the jaguar gave power and protection even in small ornaments, such as this treasured shell.

For another shell ornament of a jaguar deity head, see Deletaille, ed., Trésors du nouveau monde, Brussels, 1992, p. 235, fig. 192.