Incense burners from Lake Amatitlán
Early Classic (A.D. 250 - 600)

Lake Amatitlán, a few kilometers south of Guatemala City, was the scene of a cult that developed throughout several centuries, and was likely related to the lake's sulfuric or volcanic properties. Rituals involved the use of incense burners that were later thrown into the lake forming large subaquatic deposits. The Museum has an important collection of these incense burners, recovered from the subaquatic sites of Mexicanos, Zarzal, San Juan Amatitlán, Mata and others. The incense burners from Mexicanos, in particular, display a rich iconography that includes local adaptations of motifs of Teotihuacan origin.

	Incense Burner Base Mexicanos, Lake Amatitlán Early Classic (250 - 600 A.D.) The three spikes at the top supported a plate on which copal, pom, or other resin was burned. Height 68 cm; Width 41 cm.
	Incense Burner Lake Amatitlán Early Classic (250 - 600 A.D.) Represents the effigy of a bat. Height 15.5 cm; Diameter 25.5 cm.