Mayan Sculpture

The main Preclassic style of Mayan sculpture is from Izapa where they commonly made stelas and alters decorating with symbols and motifs comparable to Olmec art. Stelas were large, long stone slabs often featuring carvings and inscriptions. They are often paired with a round alter. They are known for their intricate detail, even without metal tools, and for how tall they were able to build up their sculptures. They also made carvings out of wood that had ties to worship and their religion. They also made a variety of things out of ceramics, from dishes, vases, bowls, and incense burners. The incense burners often featured the face of a king or deity. They also used a multitude of stones and dense, carvable items, like jade, flint, shell, and bone. Jade was often featured in art pieces, most commonly in belts, pendants, and masks. The most famous example of a mask would be the death mask of the Palenque king, Pakal. The mask is covered with jades and has eyes of obsidian and mother of pearl. They carved "eccentric flint", which is chipped flint in an "eccentric" design and shape. They were used in ceremonies, but we do not know the purpose of them. They are most typically displayed long with heads on either end, usually of a deity. Human and animal bones were used to carve scenes or inscriptions into.