Ocarina figure. Maya, ca.650-900 A.D.

Ocarina figure. Maya, ca.650-900 A.D.
Terracotta.
Provenance: -Private collection Donald Wonder (1938-2023), California, USA. Purchased at various auction houses between 1992-1999, including: -Peter Sinclair, New York, August 5, 1992 -Mark Clark, California, July 21, 1993 -Mark Clark, California, July 9, 1999.
Good condition.
Measurements: 14,3 cm height.

Singular terracotta ocarina figure representing an anthropozoomorphic character, possibly wearing an animal mask or headdress. The piece combines sculptural and sonorous function, characteristic of this type of objects used in ritual, ceremonial or musical contexts in the Mayan world.

The figure, with a compact and frontal body, stands out for its expressiveness and for the presence of symbolic elements in the face and attire. The internal cavity and the orifices allow its identification as an aerophone instrument, integrating sound and representation in the same object.

This type of ocarinas reflects the importance of music in Mesoamerican ritual life, where sound and image were part of the same symbolic experience.