Skip to Main Content

Incense Burner Support

600–900
pottery with polychrome
Overall: 54.7 x 31.3 x 28.8 cm (21 9/16 x 12 5/16 x 11 5/16 in.)
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. James C. Gruener 1990.174
Location: not on view
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.

Download, Print and Share

Did You Know?

Calcium deposits indicate this incense burner was found in a cave, which the Maya viewed as entrances to the underworld.

Description

This stand, made of a large tube with side panels, originally held a bowl used to ritually burn incense. Modeled on the front is a group that includes the Maya sun deity and two flanking, profile figures in lower relief. All are supported by a turtle, a symbol of the earth and the underworld. Thus, the ensemble may be a model of the cosmos.
Incense Burner Support

Incense Burner Support

600–900

Mexico, Chiapas, Palenque Region, Maya, Classic period

See Also

Visually Similar Artworks

Contact us

The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@clevelandart.org.

To request more information about this object, study images, or bibliography, contact the Ingalls Library Reference Desk.

All images and data available through Open Access can be downloaded for free. For images not available through Open Access, a detail image, or any image with a color bar, request a digital file from Image Services.