Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Colima, ca. 300 BCE to 300 CE. A tall, female figure, notable for her elongated head topped by a wide headdress. She has exaggerated genitals and small breasts, and she holds her arms out to her sides . They are decorated along the shoulder and upper arm with applied small circles, a common feature of Colima figures that people have interpreted variously as scars, tattoos, clothing, jewelry, and armor. Interestingly, the features on her face are centered around a large nose and huge ears, with tiny eyes and mouth. The figure is not flat, with clear detail on the back, including what looks like a very long plait down her back and a defined buttocks. Size: 6.5" W x 14.35" H (16.5 cm x 36.4 cm)

Colima, located on Mexico's southwestern coast, was during this time part of the shaft tomb culture, along with neighbors to the north in Jalisco and Nayarit. In this culture, the dead were buried down shafts -- 3 to 20 meters deep -- that were dug vertically or near vertically through the volcanic tuff that makes up the geology of the region. The base of the shaft would open into one or more horizontal chambers with a low ceiling. These shafts were almost always dug beneath a dwelling, probably a family home, and seem to have been used as family mausoleums, housing the remains of many related individuals. Figures like this one were placed in the tombs as offerings; some scholars suggest that they were seen as mediators between the living and the dead.

Provenance: Ex-Mitchell collection

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#117971

One leg has been repaired at the groin, the other at the knee. She does not appear to have ever had feet or hands.