The ceramic vessel Late Ramos Polychrome (1350) represents snakes and celestial objects on a mid-sized ceramic vessel. The curve rises gently until it completes three fourths of a circle before stopping. The line of the vessel then expands outward to enclose the mouth of the pot with a small lip. The work has wear around the lip and middle. Here, the white and red have worn away into black. The damage seems to be from use and handling due to the position and scattered nature of the deterioration. The flat bottom of the vessel is small, creating a true spherical form and elongating the vessel.
The images are mirrored on either side creating symmetry and repetition. The creature consists of a diamond shaped hollow body with a head on either end. This shape is reminiscent of a snake eating the tail of another snake. The snakes are set apart from the rest of the work with a white line. The interior of the snake is filled in with a white and black jagged line pattern. Pointing to the heads of the snakes, the white line emphasizes their importance. The heads are circular with smaller circles removed to form the mouths. The red ocher of the snake further emphasizes its significance. The heads face in opposite directions, up on the left hand side …show more content…
The imagery of a snake eating the tail of another snake is common in mythology in concurrence with recreation and cycles. Having it twice on the vessel, the pattern of snakes further create a cycle of redefinition of self and recreation of the community. Commonly found in creation stories, the snake is a symbol of creation and renewal of life. This is further explored with the eating of the tails as a symbol of renewal and eternal life. The eating the tails creates a cycle of renewal and life that lasts forever. The symbol of creation in a cyclical pattern draws the conclusion of life’s cyclical nature and the opportunity for life after