Jade and other greenstones were the most precious materials for the ancient Maya, equivalent to emeralds and diamonds in Western culture. Not only was jade carved into beads that functioned as both jewelry and currency, but this lustrous material was also carved into magical objects that were alive with soul-force and, thus, either useful or potentially harmful.

Jade and other greenstones were the most precious materials for the ancient Maya, equivalent to emeralds and diamonds in Western culture. Not only was jade carved into beads that functioned as both jewelry and currency, but this lustrous material was also carved into magical objects that were alive with soul-force and, thus, either useful or potentially harmful.

This carved bone fragment is incised with an image of a serpent. Though the figure is only partially visible, it likely represents the vision serpent, with its scaly skin indicated by cross-hatched circles. A figure of central importance in Maya mythology and ritual, the vision serpent is commonly depicted with the spirit of an ancestor or deity emerging from its jaws.

The carved images kings wore on their foreheads and chests projected supernatural power. This gold fragment with a male figure was likely originally suspended from a necklace, worn hanging over the chest. Though only partially visible, the figure is shown in profile, surrounded by vegetation. This image may represent an ancestor, an elite individual, or the ruler himself.&