170 - Vase with eight bands of hieroglyphs

Vase with eight bands of hieroglyphs carved and incised Terracotta with orange and reddish-brown slip; decoration carved in low relief and incised. Wear and surface damage; traces of roots. Small localized restorations and a small lacuna on a glyphic face noted in the condition report provided. Maya, Tikal region, Petén, Guatemala, Early Classic period, circa 500–530 CE. 9.5 x 15 cm Provenance, according to the information provided: Former Hiroshi Miura Collection, Tokyo, Japan, before 1976. Documentation: Excerpts from emails from Donald Hales dated November 1 and 9, 2017. Condition report by Howard Nowes dated November 9, 2017. According to Donald Hales, the vase was photographed by Nicholas Hellmuth in Tokyo in the early 1980s. The rounded body, topped by a slightly tapered neck, bears eight hieroglyphic registers distributed around its circumference. The signs, carved in low relief, are enhanced by incisions that define the outlines, scrolls, and plant motifs. Their contours follow the curve of the vase, giving the writing an almost figurative quality. Donald Hales proposes interpreting the text as a formula designating a drinking vessel intended for cocoa, followed by the name and titles of Kaloomte’ Bahlam, ruler of Tikal in the early 6th century. The reference to the “divine lord of Tikal,” according to his decipherment, would link this example to the royal court. Simon Martin’s research sheds light on the role of this figure, also known by the nickname “Curl Head.” After the death of Chak Tok Ich’aak II in 508, the “Lady of Tikal” ascended to power in 511, at around the age of six. Kaloomte’ Bahlam was subsequently associated with her as a co-ruler; the exact nature of their relationship remains a matter of debate. Stela 12, dated 527, records the ceremonies performed by the sovereign, while designating Kaloomte’ Bahlam as the nineteenth king in the dynastic succession. Stele 10 suggests that he was already participating in military events as early as 486. His name also appears on the archaeological fragment “Tikal Miscellaneous Text 11.” Hales links this inscription to that on our vase, where he notes a more elaborate form of the name, including, in particular, an element interpreted as a water lily stem above a jaguar’s head. This detail constitutes one of the main epigraphic points of interest that he highlights in his 2017 study. The sculptural quality of the glyphs and the finesse of their execution lend this object both aesthetic and documentary value. According to Hales’s proposed identification, it bears the name of an important figure from a period of Tikal’s royal history that is still only partially understood. Bibliographic references: Donald Hales, emails dated November 1 and 9, 2017; excerpts reproduced in the file accompanying the vase. Simon Martin, “Early Classic Co-Rulers on Tikal Temple VI,” Maya Decipherment, November 22, 2014. Simon Martin and Nikolai Grube, *Chronicle of the Maya Kings and Queens: Deciphering the Dynasties of the Ancient Maya*, 2nd ed., London: Thames & Hudson, 2008, pp. 38–39.