Incense Burner Lid
Artist/Maker
Teotihuacán
(Central Highlands, Mexico)
Dateca. 400-700
Mediumpottery, pigment and mica
DimensionsOverall: 19 1/2 x 21 1/4 x 13 3/4 in. (49.5 x 54 x 34.9 cm)
ClassificationsContainers
Credit LineMuseum purchase
Terms
Object number89.0062
DescriptionElaborate ceramic incense burners or incensarios from Teotihuacan have been found as far south as Guatemala and Honduras, indicating the wide range of influence of this great Mesoamerican city. This lid is composed of a cylindrical core to which numerous ceramic and mica ornaments have been applied to create an intricate design. The central human figure wears a butterfly mask on the nose, a symbol associated with fertility and the spirits of the dead. The circular appliquéd pieces represent stone mirrors, artifacts widely used in Mesoamerica by shamans and priests for divination and other magical purposes. Incense burners were probably constructed and disassembled several times, and served as dynamic portable shrines. Many have been found disassembled in burials and temple offerings. Ceramic production was a major economic activity in Teotihuacan and intense archaeological investigations in the area have revealed special sections of the city dedicated to the manufacture of these objects.On View
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