Carved from a single block of jadeite in deep
jungle green, this sculpture depicts a fierce,
dragon-like turtle whose head rears up form a
naturalistic shell. Reptilian monsters were a
common motif in Mayan art, and it is very
possible this figure represents a God or a
protective demon. It certainly seems to be no
ordinary turtle, for it radiates an aura of strenght
and other-worldly magic. We are caught up in
its mystery and its beauty, wondering what it
meant to those who beheld it in antiquity. L.
13cm(5 1/8IN)
- (PF.2196)
|
