One of the first Maya rulers is depicted in this relief sculpture as divine. He stands between a bird on the top of the monument and the open mouth of an earthly creature beneath his feet. This particular portrayal of the ruler, who wears an avian mask, indicates his role as the spiritual bridge between the heavens and the underworld.
Kaminaljuyu Stela 11, Guatemala, dating to the Late Classic period. Drawing by John Montgomery, 2000.
