Female Holding A Bowl Figurine
Unknown Artist
600 BCE–250 CE
Medium
Ceramic, pigment
Dimensions
7.5 × 3.8 × 2.1 cm
Classification
Sculpture
Department
Art of the Americas
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. James C. Gruener
Accession Number
1990.143
About this artwork
Small, solid, hand-modeled figurines were a staple of the early Mesoamerican artistic repertoire. Made in distinctive styles corresponding to geographic regions, they likely were used in a variety of contexts, including rites to assure health, fertility, and prosperity. This example is from the Chupícuaro region, north of modern-day Mexico City.