Seated Figurine with Brown Pigment

Terracotta Figurine (Clay Material)

H: 4.25; W: 2.625; D: 2.375 inches

Unknown Creator

3-500 CE

Wofford Fine Arts Collection

Gift of Dr. Francis and Dr. Lilly Robicsek

This male figurine comes from Colima Mexico and is depicted with a large head, with horns, earrings, seated and resting its arms over its knees. There is a lack of evidence on who created this piece specifically which opens up the doors to speculation about where this figurine would have been seen or placed. Shaft tombs in Western Mexico uncovered a lot of figurines like this that have similar styles of red coloring and this type of horn coming out of the head. The figurine seems to have red glaze, however it is only on the front of his body which now has accumulated many black spots over time, perhaps because it was underground for a long time. This figurine is important in furthering our understanding of Colima and shamanism (or supernatural beings) which this figure most closely resembles.