Important Pre-Columbian Teotihuacan green stone figure

Minerva Gallery

Important Pre-Columbian green stone figure from the Teotihuacan civilization, a powerful Mesoamerican culture that thrived between 100 CE and 700 CE in central Mexico. The sculpture depicts a standing humanoid figure carved from a single piece of polished green stone, likely representing an individual of significant spiritual or political status. The figure’s rigid posture, with arms hanging at its sides, reflects the formal and symbolic style characteristic of Teotihuacan art.

The facial features are stylized, with wide almond-shaped eyes, a slightly open mouth, and defined cheekbones. The figure wears a headdress adorned with circular inlays, which may have originally been inset with jade or other semi-precious stones. Additional circular inlays are present on the shoulders and chest, adding an ornamental and ceremonial dimension. The headdress, coupled with the placement of the inlays, underscores the figure’s role as an elite or ritualistic icon.

The green stone used for this sculpture is significant, as it symbolizes fertility, water, and renewal in Mesoamerican cosmology. The polished surface highlights the stone’s natural variations, creating a sense of depth and vitality. Minor surface weathering and wear attest to its age, adding historical authenticity to the piece.

This artifact likely had a ceremonial or ritualistic purpose, possibly serving as an object of veneration or a symbolic representation of a deity or ancestor. The figure’s rigid and symmetrical design reflects Teotihuacan’s artistic traditions, which emphasized abstraction and order over realism. Displayed on a modern base, the sculpture’s striking presence exemplifies the cultural and artistic achievements of the Teotihuacan civilization. A large and important example! CIRAM tested

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