Exploring the Early Americas

The Jay I. Kislak Collection

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Vase with Stylized Flowers and Primary Standard Sequence Glyph Band

Vase with Stylized Flowers and Primary Standard Sequence Glyph Band (033.02.00)

About this item        

This tall, narrow cylindrical vessel is a striking example of a class of vessel that features a stylized, repetitive motif of three-lobed white and black flowers reminiscent of the lilies (fleurs-de-lis) used in later European art and heraldry.  Despite their frequent appearance on vessels from this region, their significance remains unclear.  This vessel was a drinking cup, signified by its shape and a glyph that names it as such.  Unlike most cups of this type, this vessel omits the proper name of its owner, perhaps to render it more suitable as a gift or an item of tribute.  Along the outer rim of the vessel runs a nine-glyph dedicatory formula.
* Currently on Exhibit

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