Porta censer face of You Bahlamil

This beautiful portaincensario comes from very probably of Palenque or its surroundings. Its function was to serve as a support for pots where they burned incense.

We can see the face of You Bahlamil, chief priest of Santa Elena (Tabasco), was made on the anniversary number 17 of his death, and served to remind him and to worship him, very probably in front of his tomb, a common practice among the maya that even remains until our days.

The censer is rich in symbolism, the headdress of the priest has a medallion of Sak Hunal, the symbol of political power among the maya (image 2), on the chin has the head of a feline, probably an ocelot, a representation of the night and death (image 3), her ear-rings are double-knot, a symbol of royalty and status (image 4) and the whole head is stuck in the peak of the night bird, symbol of the underworld (image 5)

The piece belongs to @museoamparo