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Aged Kinich Ahau (Sun God)
Raclin Murphy Museum of Art
This is a depiction of an aged Kinich Ahau, meaning “sun-faced” or “sun-eyed lord,” a Maya sun deity. This sculpture once projected out of the side of a building and was held in place by the long stone tenon (a type of joint) jutting out behind him. Kinich Ahau is identifiable due to the particular shape of his nose, the large square eyes that once were painted red (pigment is still visible), the beard, which is a reference to the bewhiskered jaguar, and the snake-like elements curling out of the corners of his mouth. The sun god is closely associated with jaguars and kings, a connection that dates back as early as the fifth century.
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