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Female Figurine
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
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.
Cleveland Museum of Art’s own descriptionCredit lineFemale Figurine, 1200–900 BCE. Mesoamerica, Central Mexico, Tlatilco, type D2. Pottery with white and red pigment; overall: 12.6 x 5.3 x 3.2 cm (4 15/16 x 2 1/16 x 1 1/4 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. James C. Gruener, 1990.140
