Pre-Columbian Mayan Chama Pottery Cylinder Vessel

This is a classic example of Late Classic Period Maya ceramics, specifically from the Chama region, dating to circa 550–850 AD. It stands out for its distinctive orange ground and solid upper and lower bands featuring chevron motifs, painted in black-and-white, which are signature elements of Chama-style ceramics from this period A prominent feature of this vessel is the band of painted, stylized hieroglyphs encircling its upper register, meant to represent the Maya Primary Standard Sequence (PSS). The PSS is a standardized dedicatory text found on elite Maya vessels, usually identifying the vessel's function (often as a drinking cup for cacao or maize gruel), naming its owner, and sometimes referencing its use in ceremonies or offerings to deities. On many Chama vases, present example included, these glyphs are often “pseudo-glyphs”—artistic, non-literate renderings inspired by true hieroglyphs, likely reflecting the ambitions of non-elite workshops to mimic prestigious glyph-bearing