Standing Figurine
Olmec
800–400 BCE
Medium
Green hornfels and cinnabar
Dimensions
H.: 30.2 cm (11 7/8 in.)
Classification
ceremonial object
Department
Arts of the Americas
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
36138
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
In the Gulf Coast lowlands of Veracruz and Tabasco between 900 and 400 B.C., Olmec rulers built cities with ceremonial earthen pyramids, platforms, and plazas. Monumental sculptures depict rulers and mythological themes, while small-scale figurines and related works commemorate important events. This figurine was found near the Coatzacoalcos River during the 1960s. It is carved in the style of figurines from a ritual offering at the major capital La Venta.