Image: Maya Vase Ballplayer

Description: Colored drawing of one of the four figures on a Maya cylindrical vase, now in the Dallas Museum of Art. The colors are an attempt to match the basic colors of the vase, although the colors on the vase are much more complex. The vase is from the Maya Central lowlands, 650 - 800 AD. According to David Stuart, the vase shows a ballgame between the kings of El Pajaral and Motul de San José. It is this latter king, Lord Sak Ch’een of Motul de San Jose, who is shown in this drawing.[1] It has been proposed that the vase was created by the king of El Pajaral to commemorate the visit of Lord Sak Ch’een of Motul de San Jose.[2] The well-dressed player (the proposed king) is wearing a large yoke, painted deerskin hip guards, either fringed or "trimmed with feathers"[3] and an extremely elaborate headdress. He is dropping onto his knee(pad) to strike the ball, which is "exaggerated to huge proportions".[4]
Title: Maya Vase Ballplayer
Credit: Own work
Author: Madman2001
Usage Terms: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
License: CC BY-SA 3.0
License Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0
Attribution Required?: Yes