Pre Columbian TL tested Mayan Ceramic Ritual Bowl with Glyphs, Up for auction is a tall bowl from the Mayan culture with interesting patterns and beautiful details in shape and design. The painting shows glyphs, designs, and animal depictions. On the inside of the bowl are four glyphs that are often described as pseudo glyphs. Maybe these signs certainly represent an important meaning in a simple form that could be immediately associated with an event, such as death, sacrifice or resurrection. The glyph partially refers to the sign of the east, the rising sunlight, and the resurrection of the owner in another life. You can also see the reference to the outer painting, such as an eye with a feather behind the eye and a massive beak. The owner is making contact with the sun god. At the bottom of the inside you can see the braided band that represents the sky. The intersection is framed by a circle, the full moon, which brings the burial into the night. The meaning is continued on the outside. Here, Mayan mythology and creation take up its significance. The potter combined a hybrid creature of a parrot and a crocodile. The sacred parrot, whose feathers were used as money, refers to the battle against the two divine twins. Without this battle, humans could not have been created. Without the divine bird, the owner saw his resurrection in danger. The crocodile carries the earth on its back. The owner rises into the world of these important meanings and demonstrates his power over mythology. The shape of the bowl has a special feature: the potter has carved out corners on the side that resemble crocodile skin with scales. Incidentally, the red of the bowl also represents the east. Since the crocodile patterns are visible, it can be assumed that the crocodile is the sign of the 13th Mayan zodiac sign, meaning that the owner was born during this time or entered the water (death). An amazing very rare bowl with diverse expressions and designs. These bowls have been found throughout the Mayan Empire and were likely made in the area around Copan and subsequently exported. Comment on the condition: the bowl was broken, meaning it was ritually sacrificed to free the soul of the piece and remove its use. The transitions between the breaks were clearly reworked to convey an honest impression of the fractures. The depictions and patterns have not lost any of their significance due to the breakage. Age confirmed by an new TL Laboratory Test by Ralf Kotalla 2025, Provenience: Collection Norbert Behlke acquired before 1980, Collection Sven Klass, both Germany