Intrigued by this possibility, Patricia Ancona, Mark Van Stone and I surveyed a large number of painted ceramic vessels to try and identify consistencies in the way these gestures were recorded. Their systematic isolation and the study of their contexts yield recognizable patterns, lending support to the notion that these gestures were indeed a means to codify and communicate meaning. This approach also suggests some ways of interpreting them. Since the study was carried out making use exclusively of scenes painted on ceramic vessels, I have found it especially interesting to see how any conclusions deriving from it would fare when applied to the gestures found on monumental art. Before moving in this direction, I would like to offer a very quick overview of the way some gestures have been identified and of the possible meanings they may have carried.

Illustration courtesy of Justin Kerr's Mayavase Database.