2-742-031 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Standing Figurine, 1200-900 BC. Prior to the Olmec, clay figurines, mainly nude females, were the most common art of Mesoamerica. The meanings of these small, intimate works are not known, but they are found both in burials and trash, suggesting varied uses. These two figurines are in the Tlatilco style of central Mexico; they represent the artistic context in which the Olmec style developed.