Gaze upon the
#ClevelandMuseumofArt's "Celt with Deity," a profound testament to Olmec artistry. An axe blade body, deity's head, and enigmatic symbols hint at agricultural rituals. How do you interpret the "four-dots-and-a-bar" motif?
#OlmecArt #AncientMystery #Arthttps://clevelandart.org/art/1954.856
Celt with Deity | Cleveland Museum of Art
This ceremonial object has the head of a deity and a body shaped like an axe blade (celt) used to clear land for agriculture. The flared mouth, toothless gums, and fangs are typical of Olmec supernatural beings. The meaning of the body's "four-dots-and-a-bar" motif is unclear, but it sometimes appears in depictions of plants. The deity, then, seems to be associated with fertility.
Admiring the Vessel with Deity Mask at
#ClevelandMuseumofArt. Olmec art brings shivers, as the hybrid bird-jaguar deity shrieks from the clay. Its undeniable power radiates! Could this remarkable piece have witnessed ancient rituals?
#OlmecArt #HistoricalMysteryhttps://clevelandart.org/art/2002.67
Vessel with Deity Mask | Cleveland Museum of Art
This unusual vessel is made of a U-shaped container and a sheet of clay modeled as a deity mask that is startling in its power: pierced eyes glare from the shadow of a muscular brow; the chin juts aggressively; and the part-bird, part-jaguar mouth opens in a shriek. This may be the face of the Olmec rain deity, the inspiration for much Olmec ritual and many accomplished works of art. The vessel may come from a grave or a buried offering.
An Olmec 'Earth Monster' Returns to Mexico
The repatriation of an ancient sculpture highlights the influential early Mesoamerican culture.
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