On view
Art of the Ancient Americas
Urn in the form of a man with an elaborate headdress,
350–550 CE
Zapotec
Early Classic Period (Pitao phase)
2016-1087
Concurrent with the rise of Teotihuacan, the Zapotec city of Monte Alban grew into an important center in the central valley of Oaxaca. Ceramic urns, one of the best-known classes of portable Zapotec art, were usually placed in thematic groups within tombs. Many represent Zapotec deities, while others seem to portray historical individuals, possibly identified as members of lineages or other social groups by their elaborate headdresses—and occasionally through the addition of hieroglyphic names. This particular human representation wears a headdress that includes a feline mouth flanked by featheradorned eyes. The curling element above the mouth may represent the proboscis of a butterfly or a moth.
Information
Title
Urn in the form of a man with an elaborate headdress
Dates
350–550 CE
Medium
Ceramic with traces of red pigment
Dimensions
h. 30.5 cm., w. 30.9 cm., d. 27.0 cm. (12 x 12 3/16 x 10 5/8 in.)
Credit Line
Bequest of Gillett G. Griffin
Object Number
2016-1087
Place Made
North America, Mexico, Oaxaca
Culture
Period
Type
Subject
By February 15, 1965, Gillett G. Griffin (1928-2016), Princeton, NJ [1]; 2016, bequeathed to the Princeton University Art Museum.
Notes:
[1] Included in “Ancient America: Five Centuries of Discovery,” Princeton University Library, February 15 – April 15, 1965, as demonstrated by installation photographs in the curatorial files.
