About the Object

The Mezcala created this seated figure with its legs propped against its body and its head inclined, perhaps gazing toward the stars. Rarer than standing figures recycled from celts, or hand axes, seated Mezcala-Chontal figures typically feature a small and rotund shape that suggests their adaptations from pebbles or small cobblestones. The comparatively realistic facial features of this piece likely place it within a later end of the Mezcala tradition. This is also considered to be the closest Mezcala type to the Chontal culture, especially due to the long and triangular shape of these figures’ noses.

Additional Information

A great deal remains unknown about Mezcala-Chontal traditions originating in what is now the Mexican state of Guerrero due to looting in the past and a current lack funding for systematic archaeological excavation and analysis. However, interest over the past few decades has helped scholars piece together more knowledge about these remarkable traditions and their context within the broader Mesoamerican world. For instance, more recent excavations confirm that these objects were often associated with elite burials and that they were reused by later groups such as the Mexica (Aztecs) when consecrating their most important temples.