Tikal Burial 196 Tomb of the Jade Jaguar - Maya Archaeology

found in the codices.
164
Round thrones without backrests look very much like altars,
and the only example that is well known is that illustrated
on a cylinder vase from Burial A-31, Uaxactun (Kubler,
1962, Pl. 91a). Here two dignitaries are shown seated on very
small altar shaped thrones or cushions. They are smaller than
those depicted on the bird-man vase and there is no backrest.
Their complete covering with jaguar hides is slightly different
from the half-covered thrones of Fig. 73. As an aside, it
is noticeable that the toes are depicted in a similar manner
on both vessels.
Thrones covered by jaguar skins are the rule, not the
exception, and are so frequent as to make references unnecessary.
Although the right throne is not completely covered by
a jaguar skin, part of the backrest is.
The jade jewelry, here painted light blue, and the
clothes worn are similar to those worn by all the figures on
this vase and other Mayan figures. The most characteristic element
of the clothing is the edge of fringes, possibly conical.
Of perhaps more interest is the headdress worn by this,
the left hand, figure. The most easily discernable element of
this ornament is that of the water lily on the front, out of
which feeds a heron or some long-billed water bird. A second
feature of the headdress is the conical wrapping of cloth
which has already been mentioned with respect to the