Returned to lender The Met accepts temporary loans of art both for short-term exhibitions and for long-term display in its galleries.
Conch-shell trumpet
Not on view
In Maya belief, objects are animated beings who eat, drink, breathe, and have agency. This conch-shell trumpet is enlivened by imagery made visible in two orientations: when viewed with the spires down, a face is revealed; when viewed in the present orientation, an inscription spells the object’s name. Two youthful deities are incised on the surface of the shell—the lunar Maize God, seated on a pillow, and a solar deity, Juun Pu’w, seen here with large black sores, holding a serpent in one arm.
Trompeta de concha
Petén, Guatemala
Siglo IV al VI
Concha, hematita
Para los mayas, los objetos son seres animados que comen, beben y pueden tener voluntad propia. Esta trompeta, hecha a partir de un caracol, cobra vida por medio de imágenes legibles en dos sentidos: tal como está, se distingue una inscripción con el nombre del objeto, pero al colocarla con las espiras hacia abajo, se aprecia un rostro. En la superficie de esta caracola están labradas las figuras de dos dioses jóvenes: el dios lunar del maíz, sentado sobre un cojín, y una deidad solar, Juun Pu’w, quien tiene grandes pústulas negras y sujeta una serpiente con el brazo.
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This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.
