THE YOUNG GOD OF MAIZE. TECHNOLOGY AND SYMBOLISM OF A SHELL PENDANT FROM THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF ANTHROPOLOGY

A number of pieces made from seashells representing individuals in courtly settings or divinities in mythological scenes have been reported in the Maya area. These exquisitely worked artifacts display the openwork cutout silhouette of the figure, with details rendered by incised lines and carved out areas to inset inlays. It has been proposed that a number of these objects belong to the same manufacturing style. Most of the pieces are in private collections and lack archaeological context. The Maya collections in the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City have a unique example of this type that comes from an excavated context. Known as "The Smoker," it was found at the island of Jaina in 1964. This paper presents the results of iconographic and technological analyses of this important artifact, in order to explore its relationships to the above-mentioned tradition.