Miniature Metate
Unknown Artist
700–1000
Medium
stone
Dimensions
17.5 × 13 × 3 cm
Classification
Stone
Department
Art of the Americas
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of John Wise
Accession Number
1956.86
About this artwork
This miniature grinding stone, decorated on the underside, was made during an era of extensive interregional contacts and artistic influences. The bar and four dots below the serpent represent the number nine, executed in the style of Xochicalco, in Morelos. The rattlesnake above resembles contemporary carvings from Veracruz, to the east. Possibly "9 Rattlesnake" was the name of an individual, or a date in the poorly understood Xochicalco calendar.