“Time Between Worlds” – Life and Death Ceremonial Mask

Epic in scale and meaning, Time Between Worlds is a hand-carved ceremonial mask from Chiapas that blends life, death, time, and ritual into a single sculptural narrative. One half of the mask is a polished human face — calm and grounded. The other, a skull — bare, hollow, and still. Together, they form a visual dialogue of opposites: creation and decay, breath and silence. But it’s the towering headdress that transforms this piece into something extraordinary. At its center sits the Maya calendar wheel, surrounded by glyphs and framed by animal spirits and ancestral guardians. Above that, an intricately carved ballgame scene unfolds — players in motion inside the sloped walls of a ceremonial court, a symbolic echo of cosmic struggle and sacred tradition. Painted in deep reds, turquoise, golds, and earth tones, every element feels alive with story. This piece is meant to be displayed — not worn — as a statement of identity, mythology, and craftsmanship. It's not just a mask; it's a portal into Mesoamerican thought.