Woman in festive attire with a child

Ceramic figurine of a woman in festive attire with a child, Classic Veracruz, 4th-12th century CE, height 15.7 cms.

This woman is depicted with legs akimbo and outstretched arms. On her right shoulder appear the head, one arm and the feet of a young child she is carrying on her back, probably wrapped in a shawl under her mantle. The woman’s pose and rich attire, including an oval necklace pendant and elaborate feather headdress, suggest she may be a participant in a public event such as a festival. Her headdress and eyes have been daubed with black ‘chapopote’, a blend of tar and rubber often applied to figurines dedicated to the earth deity. Her ‘quechquemitl’ (woven mantle) and skirt are decorated with different motifs. The mantle is adorned with a pair of birds with outstretched wings, perhaps referring to migrations marking critical moments in the seasonal cycle. The figurine also functions as a whistle.

From Ancient American Art in Detail by Colin McEwan, British Museum Press, 2009, p. 36.

Photo by Ian Mursell/Mexicolore