Architectural Model
Unknown Artist
1st–8th century
Medium
Stone
Dimensions
H. 3 1/4 × W. 2 3/4 in. (8.3 × 7 cm)
Classification
Stone-Sculpture
Culture
Mezcala
Department
Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Arthur M. Bullowa, 1993
Accession Number
1994.35.694
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Architectural Model* from Mezcala culture (1st–8th century offers a rare glimpse into ancient Mesoamerican architecture. Carved from stone and measuring just 3¼ × 2¾ inches (8.3 × 7 cm), this miniature sculpture likely represents a temple or ceremonial structure, evoking the stepped pyramids and ritual spaces central to Mezcala spiritual life in Guerrero, Mexico. The Mezcala people, flourishing during the Late Preclassic to Early Postclassic periods, crafted such models as votive offerings or symbolic representations of cosmic order and divine dwellings. Mezcala's stone sculpt...