Basin with Feathered Serpent
Unknown Artist
400–550 CE
Medium
earthenware, stucco, pigment
Dimensions
{"diameter":{"height":0.162,"width":0.345,"depth":0.345}}
Classification
Ceramic
Department
Art of the Americas
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund
Accession Number
1965.20
About this artwork
The serpent covered with the green feathers of the tropical quetzal bird is an image of verdant, bountiful nature and life. It also may be a symbol of rulership, thus linking rulers to cosmic forces and the natural order. Four human hearts lie beneath the serpent on this unusually large basin, suggesting that sacrifice stimulates nature’s fruitfulness.