Vessel, Mythological Scene 7th-8th century Attributed to the Metropolitan Painter This small drinking cup with stepped tripod supports features one of the most masterfully painted, well-preserved mythological scenes found on a Maya vessel. Because of the calligraphic lines resemblance to that found in the three Maya books known as codices (sing. codex), this class of painted vases are referred to as "codex-style." Only four Maya codices have survived from what was certainly a large corpus, but these codex-style vessels afford a glimpse into the rich world of painted narratives and complex Maya mythologies about agricultural cycles. The subject of this particular vessel is a myth pertaining to the start of the tropical rainy season. The black-on-cream painted scene, framed by vivid red bands on the flaring rim and the base, centers on an anthropomorphic feline marked with dark spots. This "water lily jaguar," a character known from other depictions and hieroglyphic texts, crouches on a