Chamá-style pottery
Late Classic (A.D. 600 - 900)

A characteristic of Maya art was the development of many different regional styles. One of the most distinctive is the Chamá style, made in the region known by the same name along the Chixoy river between the departments of Alta Verapaz and Quiché. These vessels are characterized by a yellow or orange background with red bands along the top and bottom. Many times they also have a band of black and white angular elements. They present a variety of scenes of gods, animals and humans. They also have hieroglyphic inscriptions that seem to represent a local variation on the Maya writing system.