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Figure of a standing ballplayer wearing a mask,

300 BCE–300 CE

Late Formative
y1990-16
Shalf-tomb Ceramics of West Mexico The cultures of western Mexico, in the present-day states of Jalisco, Nayarit, and Colima, shared a tradition of burying the deceased in deep shaft tombs located under homes. These tombs often accommodated generations of family members: when someone died, the bones of their ancestors were moved aside to create room for the new ancestor. A great variety of ceramic objects were produced in distinctive local styles to accompany the dead. Human figures might represent loved ones or key moments in the biography of the interred; animal representations might have been perceived as providing sustenance in the afterlife, or they may have been seen as eternal companions.

Information

Title
Figure of a standing ballplayer wearing a mask
Dates

300 BCE–300 CE

Medium
Ceramic
Dimensions
h. 28.5 cm., w. 15.2 cm., d. 14.3 cm. (11 1/4 x 6 x 5 5/8 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of John B. Elliott, Class of 1951, to honor Gillett G. Griffin
Object Number
y1990-16
Place Made

North America, Mexico, Colima, West Mexico

Materials