Pectoral Possibly 200 - 800

This Maya pectoral, carved from jade, presents a face, possibly a deity, with a wide-open mouth. In Maya culture, such open mouths often symbolize portals to the supernatural realm, embodying potent life forces. Consider the ancient Greek Gorgon, Medusa. Her image, often displayed on shields and buildings, was meant to ward off evil. The open mouth, baring teeth, served as an apotropaic symbol, a visual defense against malevolence. Like Medusa's grimace, the open mouth of the Maya figure is a display of power, both frightening and protective. The motif is not static; it evolves. What once was a fearsome, protective symbol transforms over time, carrying layers of cultural memory. This symbol has undergone a metamorphosis, reflecting humanity's enduring fascination with the boundary between the seen and unseen, the safe and the perilous.