Tripod Bowl with Skull
Arts of the Americas
The central image on the interior of this bowl is a vividly animated skull with swirling forms emanating from the mouth and the back of the cranium. The two volutes at the back of the head symbolize blood and connote sacrifice—a theme that is reinforced by the serrated flint knife depicted beneath the skull. The knife’s wavy blade also alludes to blood, and the U-shaped form behind the skull suggests a carrying strap for a trophy head. These visual references to blood and sacrifice, combined with the hollow legs that rattle, suggest that the vessel had a ritual function.
MEDIUM
Ceramic, pigments
DATES
1000–1500
DIMENSIONS
5 15/16 x 10 1/2 x 10 1/2 in. (15.1 x 26.7 x 26.7 cm)
(show scale)
ACCESSION NUMBER
64.51.1
CREDIT LINE
Carll H. de Silver Fund
CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION
Painted, tripod bowl. Central area of interior has brown on cream painted skull; edges have brown on cream geometric designs; sides of exterior have black, white, and red geometric designs. Legs of tripod are hollow and contain clay rattles.
Condition: good; object was broken into 8 pieces and repaired; some pieces are missing. Original repairs dismantled and re-repaired in June 2004.
MUSEUM LOCATION
This item is not on view
CAPTION
Mixteca-Puebla. Tripod Bowl with Skull, 1000–1500. Ceramic, pigments, 5 15/16 x 10 1/2 x 10 1/2 in. (15.1 x 26.7 x 26.7 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Carll H. de Silver Fund, 64.51.1. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 64.51.1_side_SL1.jpg)
IMAGE
profile, 64.51.1_side_SL1.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph
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RIGHTS STATEMENT
Creative Commons-BY
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