Ameca-Ezatlán Style Jalisco Terracotta Sculpture of a Seated Shaman - PF.6265,Origin: Western Mexico,Circa: 300 BC to 300 AD,Dimensions: 10" (25.4cm) high,Collection: Pre-Columbian,Style: Ameca-Ezatlán,Medium: Terracotta. This man is seated, hunched over with his hands resting on his knees and his elbows sticking out. He appears to be in a state of intense concentration, perhaps even, in a trance. His round eyes stare outwards while he clenched his teeth together, slightly expose through his open mouth. His head, elongated in the Jalisco tradition, is covered in a crown featuring a small arching crest and a central circular button with and “x” inscribed on it. As well, he wears large spools decorating his ears. It is popularly believed by modern scholars that the ancient nobility of the Jalisco culture would bind their children’s heads with wooden boards in order to stretch their skull. This cranial deformation is thought to be inspired by the maize god who features a high, prominent brow. As well, this unique trait would have differentiated the royalty from the commoners. So clearly, this seated figure is someone of high rank and importance within his society. Might he be a king? A shaman in the midst of a hypnotic trance? The mysterious quality of this figure only enhances its extraordinary beauty and historical significance.

Antiquities
Ancient Central America & Mexico