On loan to The Met The Met accepts temporary loans of art both for short-term exhibitions and for long-term display in its galleries.
Human head jar
Unrecorded Mississippian artist
Not on view
Head vessels may represent honored ancestors, a living person of rank, or a deceased enemy. This jar with lifeless, hollow eyes, a rather sunken nose, and parted lips gives the effect of death while the naturalistic, well- modeled, individualized features speak of portraiture. The ear piercings undoubtedly once held ornamentation of some kind. This ancient head vessel is one of more than sixty known examples, many of which also show signs of use.
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