Click image to view full screen
Seated Figure
✓ Authenticity guarantee · ✓ Specialist condition report · ✓ Insured worldwide shipping · ✓ Private-room viewing
The most famous Zapotec tomb ceramics are elaborate figural urns flanked by smaller, simpler companions similar to this one. Like other companions, this example probably belonged to a set of nearly identical figures; two others remain in Mexico. The identity of ceramic tomb figures-whether elite humans, royal ancestors, or deities-is still debated. The Zapotec developed one of Mesoamerica’s earliest writing systems, evidenced by the hieroglyphs on the headdress and chest. These are the names of calendar days, "13 Water" and "13 Flint Knife," respectively. Because people were named after the day on which they were born, one hieroglyph may identify the figure.
| Artist / Maker | Mexico, Oaxaca, Zapotec style |
|---|---|
| Date | 300 BCE–700 CE (thermoluminescence date, 285 BCE–515 CE) |
| Culture / Origin | Mexico, Oaxaca, Zapotec style |
| Medium | ceramic, slip |
| Dimensions | Overall: 32.2 x 17.9 x 18.8 cm (12 11/16 x 7 1/16 x 7 3/8 in.) |
| Department | Art of the Americas |
| Type | Sculpture |
About the Artist
Provenance & Source
Image & data: Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 / Public Domain.
Condition
A detailed condition report and high-resolution photography are available from our specialists in advance of the sale.
Shipping & Collection
Fine-art shipping with climate control and full insurance to over 120 countries; collection by appointment.
Buying at Matchless Pieces
Register, verify your identity, and bid online or in a private room. Buyer’s premium and taxes are shown before you confirm.
