Female Figure, Protoclassic Period, ca. 1st century BC – 3rd century AD ·  Mexico, Jalisco, Ameca · ID: 3052482

Description

ceramic, dark red and cream white slip, rest.

The body proportions of the figure — the narrow, strongly elongated face, the broad, massive upper body with markedly shortened arms and legs (it is uncertain whether the figure is sitting or kneeling) — were not intended to depict deformities but rather followed stylistic conventions. She wears a tall headdress and ear ornaments. Characteristic are the knob-like decorations in the shoulder area, which are usually interpreted as ritual scarifications. All of these elements are likely signs of high rank.

This large, hollow-modeled female figure probably belonged to a group of similar ceramic sculptures that were once placed in a shaft tomb in Jalisco.

The shaft tombs of western Mexico consist of a vertical shaft, dug 3 to 20 meters deep into the often underlying volcanic tuff. The shaft opens into one or two (sometimes more) horizontal chambers. Several burials were found in each chamber, and there is evidence suggesting that the tombs were used over time by families or kinship groups. The considerable labour required to construct the shaft tombs, as well as the number and quality of the grave goods, indicate that these tombs were reserved exclusively for the elites of society.

The object Female Figure, Protoclassic Period, ca. 1st century BC – 3rd century AD with the object ID 3052482 was part of the auction Auction 105 on November 15, 2025, lot number 51 at that time and is currently available for EUR 2,500 in Open sale.

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Expertise

R. Kotalla, Thermoluminescence-Certificate No. 07B181214, Haigerloch, December 22, 2014

Notices

This object is subject to the UNESCO Cultural Heritage Protection Act. Export documents are required for export (subjected to a fee).