Pre-Columbian Maya Underworld Swimmer Bowl Start Price USD 449.00 Current Price USD 449.00 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price USD 475.00 Reserve Price - Start Time Monday, December 01, 2008 End Time Monday, December 08, 2008 Location Athens, Georgia See more about 'Pre-Columbian Maya Underworld Swimmer Bowl' Description Pre-Columbian Maya Underworld Swimmer Bowl Click on the text links to viewenlargements: 1-2-3-4-5-6 An excellent Maya bowl from Pre-Columbian El Salvador, ca. 600 A.D. - 900 A.D. Measuring approx. 8 1/2"" wide and about 3-1/4" tall, this large bowl is skillfully painted in orange, cream, red and black, with a highly burnished finish. The exterior features a band of well-executed pseudo-glyphs around the outer rim, and two figures that appear to be swimming beneath a middle line encircling the bowl. The interior features concentric circles, an additional band of pseudo-glyphs, and a what may represent a solar glpyh in the center.Bowls of this type are often referred to as "Swimmer Bowls" due to the figures that appear to be swimming in their lower exterior register. This symbolism is widely believed to be related to a scene from Maya mythology, depicting the Maya Hero Twins (Hunahpu and Xbalanque) swimming through the underworld of Xibalba during a quest.Condition: Intact, with a 2 1/2" stable stress crack extending down from the rim on one side (visible in photos). The stress crack appears to be ancient and likely occurred as a result of ancient use or geological activity throughout hundreds of years of burial. There is no repair or restoration except for a very small rim chip that was filled (see last photo). The majority of these bowls on the antiquities market have been broken in ancient times and more recently repaired/restored. As such, it is refreshing to see one intact and in excellent, unrestored condition. A rich patina, mineral deposits, and profuse root marks overall (inside and on the bottom) attest to this item's age and authenticity.There is evidence that suggests this bowl may have been used as a burial offering, in that the inner portion of the bowl shows wear in the bottom to one side. It is plausible that the visible wear was caused by a food or beverage item (perhaps a maize gruel or fermented maize beverage) contained in the bowl as an offering at burial.Provenance: Former Florida collection.A nice example of a Maya "Swimmer" bowl in unrestored, original condition. Assurance of Authenticity: All items offered by Riverbend Gallery have been carefully examined and deemed authentic and ancient. For added assurance, a CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY will be included for each applicable purchase, fully guaranteeing the item to be ancient and genuine.Our Commitment: Riverbend Gallery endeavors to be a preferred source of authentic, legally-obtained antiquities, artifacts and works of art. We strive to offer quality items at resonable prices, while providing prompt, knowledgable customer service. If we can be of any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us. Custom listed using TROCADERO's automated HTML and Picture Hosting tools. Powered by eBay Turbo Lister The free listing tool. List your items fast and easy and manage your active items. Place a Bid!