RUNNING HEAD TITLE
Museum Visit Report: Art of the Ancient Americas - Kimbell Museum (Fort Worth)
Author First M.Last
Institutional Affiliation(s)
Course Number: Course Name
2
Introduction
For this report, I visited the Kimbell Museum's "Art of the Ancient Americas" collection. located
in Fort Worth. I viewed three artifacts that reflected the Maya culture: "Presentation of Captives to a
Maya Ruler," "Codex-Style Vessel," and "Male Face." These three artifacts were first analyzed for what
was visually there and then placed in context by the descriptions provided by the museum.
Artifact 1: Presentation of Captives to a Maya Ruler, c. A.D. 785
Description:
“Presentation of Captives to a Maya Ruler" is a stone panel of natural stone color with very faint
traces of red and other pigments, dating to A.D. 785. It is an extensive scene with several human figures,
including a main ruler receiving captives. This panel is approximately 3–4 feet high and wide. The
clothing of the ruler is very ornate as a sign of rank, with the captives being shown in positions
portraying subjugation. The ceremonial or commemorative
panel thus represents the power of a ruler and the ritual of
presenting prisoners of war. From the description provided
by the museum, I learned that this artifact represents a
very common subject matter of Maya art, which includes
social hierarchy and the importance of military conquests.
Archaeologists derived their conclusions from the detailed
carvings and context of similar artifacts. Other
interpretations might include its use in rituals or as a
historical record of significant events.
URL: Presentation of Captives to a Maya Ruler, c. A.D. 785
3
Artifact 2: Codex-Style Vessel with Two Scenes of Itzam Instructing Young Pupils, c. A.D. 700-750
Description:
"Codex-Style Vessel," this ceramic cylindrical vessel dates about A.D. 700–750 and is light brown
or beige with black and red painted scenes. This artifact illustrates scenes of the god Itzam instructing
young pupils, surrounded by glyphs and geometric patterns. It measures about 10 inches high and 8
inches in diameter and details an adult male figure with elaborate headdresses and jewelry. It was
probably used either ceremonially or educationally. According to the museum description, this vessel
expresses the importance the Mayans gave to education and religious indoctrination. The archaeologists
would deduce the importance of this vessel through the inscription of glyphs and the presence of the
important deity Itzam. Other uses it could have served would be in storytelling or as some symbolic
object when conducting rituals.
URL: Codex-Style Vessel, c. A.D. 700-750
4
Artifact 3: Male Face, c. A.D. 700-900
Description:
This Maya culture artifact, a "Male Face," dates A.D. 700–900 and is made of stone with a
grayish-brown color. This figurine represents a male face, sculpted with minute and naturalistic facial
features such as high cheekbones, a flat nose, full lips, and eye forms that are almost shallow or closed.
This life-sized face, about 10 to 12 inches in height, is probably a deity or an important person and
would have been used ceremoniously or as part of a decoration, likely attached to a temple or another
kind of religious monument. The tranquil expression on the face suggests that this was a person who
held some spiritual or divine position in society. Scientists could ascertain its importance from the
context in which it was found, making a comparison with other such remains where the tranquil
expression was considered a major cultural indicator, along with the minute details shown on the face.
URL: Male Face, c. A.D. 700-900
5
Conclusion
The artifacts from the Kimbell Museum's "Art of the Ancient Americas" collection provide much
insight into the cultural and religious life of the Maya civilization. The "Presentation of Captives to a
Maya Ruler" shows the extent of social hierarchy and emphasis on military conquests by the
representation of ceremonial scenes in detail. Finally, the "Codex-Style Vessel" represents the
importance of education and religious teaching, as it depicts the god Itzam educating young pupils. The
wood carving, known as the "Male Face," realizes tranquil and naturalistic features, suggesting divine or
noble representation in architectural decoration. The artifacts realize advanced skills with the spiritual
values of the Maya through their intricate craftsmanship and contextual significance. Concluding
remarks by archaeologists derived from stylistic analysis and contextual evidence portray the
importance of the items in that culture, though alternative interpretations, their use in rituals, symbolic
functions, or other meanings are possible. The collection makes a worthy contribution to the present
understanding of the rich heritage that Mesoamerican societies have left behind.
6
References
Kimbell Art Museum. (n.d.). Presentation of Captives to a Maya Ruler, c. A.D. 785. Retrieved
from https://kimbellart.org/collection/ap-197107
Kimbell Art Museum. (n.d.). Codex-Style Vessel with Two Scenes of Itzam Instructing Young
Pupils, c. A.D. 700-750. Retrieved from https://kimbellart.org/collection/ap-200404
Kimbell Art Museum. (n.d.). Male Face, c. A.D. 700-900. Retrieved from
https://kimbellart.org/collection/ap-197105
