Returned to lender The Met accepts temporary loans of art both for short-term exhibitions and for long-term display in its galleries.
Plumed Serpent Sculpture
Not on view
This sculpture of a feathered serpent represents the deity Quetzalcoatl, also known as Kukulkan, raising its head as if to strike. Originally the edge of a platform or bench, it would have been painted with bright colors. Although no feathers survive from ancient Maya burials, their depiction on this plumed deity underscores their divine significance.
Esta escultura de una serpiente emplumada representa la deidad de Quetzalcóatl, también conocido como Kukulkan, alzando la cabeza como si fuera para morder. Originalmente era el borde de una plataforma o de un banco, y podría haber estado pintado con colores vistosos. Si bien no quedan rastros de plumas en las antiguas tumbas mayas, el hecho de que estén representadas en esta deidad emplumada resalta su significado divino.
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