The Relevance and Perserverance of Ritual Ceramics to Modern Times

Mata Ortiz Pottery Piece

          For our final entry, we decided ‘what better way to end a discussion about the use of Mesoamerican ritual ceramics than to find out how the use of ceramics has survived into modern times.’ Though the multiple rituals that used ceramics mentioned in this blog may not be actively practiced in present time, we found that the concepts of the ceramics have lived on. Some old ceramics are used in present day rituals that are seen in the areas that have developed from Mesoamerica, while other styles lived on to inspire new forms and adaptations.

Statues in a Mayan souvenir shop  

Reverence to the Ceramics of the Past

          Many newly crafted ceramics are influenced by the ceramics that are found within the archeological sites. The influence stemming from the past has affected the ceramics of today; new art is born from a rediscovery of lost cultural information, and a large interest in such discoveries. The ceramic styles are associated with a group and a cultural past, whose descendants find a purpose to use the styles within their world today. They can create similar pieces for informative or commercial reasons.

Budare

Modern Ceramics’ Rituals

           Ceramic rituals persist in today’s world, though they may not be the same events or have the same meaning as previously described . Communities still celebrate events using ceramics, even such as just feasting. Sometimes they find themselves using ritual ceramics that date back to Mesoamerican times; the comal or budare, is still widely used by peoples in Central America. Handed down through generations, this griddle has a place of honor in many Central and South American kitchens amongst iron and steel pots and pans.

So, what have we learned through this journey? Overall, the past use of ceramics within rituals is not only fascinating and insightful to their cultural usages. They were developed and used according to the peoples’ needs and culture: they shed light and knowledge on information that might not have been attainable without ceramics. Even more importantly, Mesoamerican ceramics continue to thrive through the preserving efforts of many and the modern forms it inspires. The ancient Mesoamerican ceramics live on.

Mata Ortiz Pottery Piece

Test YOUR Knowledge!

This post we invite you to test your knowledge of the information thus far. Knowing different ceramic usages and certain significance or symbols to Mesoamerican cultures, can you guess what each of these ceramics were used for? What would you say is the significance of shape or style of the vessels, and what was most likely its purpose? As you scroll through the next few objects, take time to question and really observe elements of the vessels before continuing to scroll down to its caption and meaning below. Good luck!!

Source: Division of Anthropology, American Museum of Natural History by Denis Finnin

Firstly notable is the tripod shape. This vessel was used by nobility for drinking chocolate at feasts and ceremonies. Chocolate, the drink of elites, was typically drank at ceremonies. This Zapotec piece features the God of Dance and Music.

Source- Metropolitan Museum of Art

This piece can be observed as another tripod vessel. This can be associated with Aztec’s, as the headpiece is similar to Aztec deities seen in other motifs. Animals were typically associated with gods, such as birds were associated with celestial or ancestor relations. ¹

Source- De Young, Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco

A mosaic handle decorates this knife, and this piece has a lot to take in. One observes the dark chipped away blade, leading to the notion that the blade is of obsidian. It is, and the mosaic tiles (shells and turquoise) that form the handle are held in from anything from wood, ceramics, or resin. This particular one is of resin, with a designed animal mosaic and shape. Possible a bird? It was most likely used in ceremonies and rituals due to its craftsmanship and animal handle. This piece is Mixtec (Aztec).

Source- De Young, Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco

This oddly shaped lidded bowl is meant to be a turtle shape. It is Mayan. Mayans believed the turtle to be a symbol of fertility and growth, due to Mayan myths that the world was created from a turtle shell. This dish and others are usually found in tombs and were used as means of offering food to the gods and ancestors during ceremonies.²

Source- Staaltliche Museen zu Berlin, Ethnologisches Museum by Ines Seibt

Here we have another ceramic used in ceremonies and feast. This goblet features serpents painted. It is Cholula-style.³ Such fine goblets were used by elites and rulers, or commonly created as gifts to be given to those visiting. They could take these pieces home with them thus allowing the showing of wealth and power to those visitors homelands.

Source- Metropolitan Museum of Art

This tripod vessel is known as a ceramic brazier. Due to its similar religious architecture of the Aztec at Tenochtitlan, one can assume it was used in religious ceremonies.¹ It was used to make offerings to the Gods, whether that be human or animal remains, or incense or food. The motif on the front is unknown of meaning, though  some suggest it is a date, which would correspond with the new temple building at Tenochtitlan.

Source- Metropolitan Museum of Art

Another noticeable bird, specifically a vulture, this piece is a bit different from the other ceramics. We thought we would make the last one more interesting. This piece comes from the Isla de Sacrificios (Island of Sacrifices), which was found by the Spanish in a conquest and named due to the findings of heart sacrifice victims. The piece fits in with other pieces of ceremony and sacrifice by its brown, red or white bands found on a plain and uncolored background. 

So that is the choices we chose to reflect on. How did you do? Were you able to analyze the piece and form guesses based off of those observations? Were you able to guess usages and symbolism of shapes? We hope so!! This concludes this weeks visual walk through of different ceremony and ritual ceramics.

¹Metropolitan Museum of Art
²de Young Museum of Fine Arts
³The National Endowment for the Humanities