Source: Linda Schele and Mary Ellen Miller. The Blood of Kings; Dynasty and Ritual in Maya Art. Fort Worth: Kimbell Art Museum, 1986, p. 204, plate 70.
Notes: This is a pottery figurine of a seated man. In fact, it suggests one of the Mayan ritual practices that Schele and Miller brought to light; that is, the Mayas practiced a number of rituals involving the shedding of blood. The purpose of shedding blood in these rites was to ensure the continuing fertility of Mayan lands, culture, and people. In this figuring, it is possible that this ruler is prepared to collect blood from his pierced penis, which was a rite practiced frequently by rulers and priests.
Latin American humanities motifs: religio; realism