The burning of aromatic offerings was essential to most Mesoamerican ceremonies, from the dedication of a building to the dangerous and uncertain moments surrounding the completion of a calendrical cycle. Far more than static works of art meant to be admired for their beauty, Mesoamerican incense burners took a variety of forms and were vital means through which people communicated with ancestors and gods. Andrew D. Turner, Postdoctoral Associate in the Art of the Ancient Americas, discusses a selection of objects on display in the newly reinstalled Cornelia Cogswell Rossi Foundation Gallery of Art of the Ancient Americas.



Space is limited. Please meet in the Gallery lobby.