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As with all items in this collection, this artifact is certified authentic and will be accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity and Provenance, detailing typology, dating, region, and collection history.
Pre-Columbian West Mexico Terracotta Standing Figure, Nayarit Style, 300 BC – 300 AD
Certified Authentic Ancient Artifact:
We confirm that the pictured object is an authentic terracotta human figure from the West Mexican shaft-tomb tradition, created during the Late Formative to Early Classic period (ca. 300 BC – 300 AD). The distinctive modeling, surface slip, and A-shaped stance correspond to Nayarit and Colima regional styles associated with funerary offerings.
Description:
Hand-formed terracotta standing figure with broad flaring legs, stylized facial features, applied hair treatment, and remnants of original red slip. The large almond-shaped eyes, thick torso, and triangular lower body are characteristic of Nayarit “standing anthropomorphic” types. This example displays ancient breakage to the lower section and back, with visible old adhesive and fill material from past restoration, common for excavated West Mexican ceramics. Surface encrustation and burial deposits remain in recesses.
Size: Approximately 12.5 cm tall.
Historical Context:
Figures of this type were placed in shaft tombs across the Nayarit and Colima regions as symbolic companions for the deceased. They represent ancestors, attendants, or ritual participants, reflecting the social structure and ceremonial life of West Mexico before Spanish contact. Excavations throughout the 20th century revealed that such terracottas formed key components of complex mortuary assemblages, often arranged in pairs or groups.
Condition:
Heavily excavated condition with breaks to the lower body, reattached sections, and modern fill material on the back. Stable surface with remaining slip and mineral deposits. Guaranteed authentic Pre-Columbian artifact.
Museum Parallel:
Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), Nayarit standing figure collection, Accession M.2007.20.41.
Academic Reference:
Butterwick, K., “Heritage of Power: Ancient Sculpture from West Mexico,” especially Nayarit anthropomorphic types with similar stance and modeling.
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