Vintage Guatemalan Mule Mask | Endurance & Persistence
Vintage Guatemalan Mule Mask | Endurance & Persistence
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The mule is not an ancient Maya symbol, but it belongs to the living world of Highland Guatemala: work, transport, persistence, and the ability to carry on. In that context, this Aj Canil Family mask has an immediately understandable meaning for a modern home: endurance when something difficult still has to be carried.
Hand-carved in Chichicastenango, the mask has a long equine snout, open mouth, and large block teeth. Dark green paint is covered with white and yellow dots and concentric motifs in purple, red, orange, and blue, while the raw interior retains visible carving marks and a natural-fiber hanging cord.
Details
- Character: Mule
- Artist: AJ Canil Family
- Origin: Chichicastenango, Guatemala
- Material: Hand-carved wood with polychrome paint
- Date: Estimated late 20th century, approximately 1970s–1990s
- Condition: Excellent vintage condition with vibrant color and minor scuffs
- Symbolism: Endurance, persistence, and work
- Availability: One available
Superstition does not have to promise luck. Sometimes the symbol you keep close simply represents the determination to keep going.
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If a product is listed as one-of-one, vintage, a unique specimen, or the exact piece photographed, that is the piece you will receive. Repeatable apparel and multi-unit products may use representative photography and will match the purchased style, size, color, and listed specifications.
Are all your items handmade?
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All products may be returned within 30 calendar days after delivery. Merchandise must be unused, unworn, and in original condition. Contact info@shopfromtheandes.com to request a return. Approved U.S. returns include a prepaid return label paid by From The Andes. Eligible returns may receive a refund of the merchandise price, an exchange, or store credit, with no restocking fee. Approved refunds are initiated within 3 business days after inspection, and From The Andes pays outbound shipping on approved exchanges.
Returns require prior authorization and must meet the condition requirements in our Refund Policy.
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