Maya Polychrome Cylinder Vessel – Cacao Glyph Band, Holmul Style

Culture: Maya, Holmul Style
Date: ca. 600–900 CE (Classic Period)
Medium: Ceramic with polychrome slip decoration
Dimensions: 7 7/8" x 4 3/8"
Region: Holmul region, Petén Basin, Guatemala

An authentic and finely painted Maya ceramic cylinder vessel from the Classic Period (ca. 600–900 CE), likely originating from the Holmul region of the Petén, Guatemala. This tall, straight-walled vessel was used not for drinking a frothy cacao beverage, but for serving or consuming a cacao-based gruel, a thick ritual preparation combining cacao with maize or other ingredients.

The exterior features polychrome decoration in red, black, and cream pigments over an orange slip. A central decorative band presents glyph-like symbols, possibly including the “ka-ka-w(a)” syllables associated with cacao, though the contents would have been more substantial than liquid. Below the glyph band, a red scroll pattern encircles the lower body of the vessel. A wide red rim band completes the composition.

Dimensions: 7 7/8" x 4 3/8"
Condition: Professionally reassembled from original fragments with visible crack lines; minor rim losses and wear consistent with age and burial.
Provenance: Ex, David Fincher, TX, Ex, Bob Awe Texas, collected prior to 1970.

A culturally rich vessel that illustrates the diversity of cacao use in Maya society—not only as a drink but as a ritual food. A rare piece for collectors of Mesoamerican epigraphy and ritual ceramics.