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Mexico, Oaxaca, Zapotec style / 300 BCE–700 CE (thermoluminescence date, 285 BCE–515 CE)

Seated Figure

The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Seated Figure as sculpture (Mexico, Oaxaca, Zapotec style · 300 BCE–700 CE (thermoluminescence date, 285 BCE–515 CE)).

WHY IT’S INTERESTING

The most famous Zapotec tomb ceramics are elaborate figural urns flanked by smaller, simpler companions similar to this one. Like other companions, this example probably belonged to a set of nearly identical figures; two others remain in Mexico.

SERENDIPITYA little unexpected

FamiliarWeird

A CLOSER LOOK

The museum identifies this sculpture as ceramic, slip.

The museum's collection notes: The most famous Zapotec tomb ceramics are elaborate figural urns flanked by smaller, simpler companions similar to this one. Like other companions, this example probably belonged to a set of nearly identical figures; two others remain in Mexico. The identity of ceramic tomb figures-whether elite humans, royal ancestors, or deities-is still debated. The Zapotec developed one of Mesoamerica’s earliest writing systems, evidenced by the hieroglyphs on the headdress and chest. These are the names of calendar days, "13 Water" and "13 Flint Knife," respectively. Because people were named after the day on which they were born, one hieroglyph may iden

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The Cleveland Museum of ArtSeated Figure

Original explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.