Cleveland Museum of Art

Female Figurine

Date

1200–900 BCE

Medium

pottery with white and red pigment

Culture

Mesoamerica, Central Mexico, Tlatilco, type D2

Department

Art of the Americas

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

This ceramic figurine—in the style of Tlatilco, an early village site in central Mexico—depicts a female with an enigmatic motif incised on the back of her head and substantial traces of red and white pigment. Since many figurines from the period depict females, modern interpreters usually connect them to fertility concerns. They also seem to testify to the importance of women among early Mesoamerican cultures. While many figurines are nude, they were likely dressed in perishable clothing and accessories.

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