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Seated Figure
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Like their contemporaries, the Olmec made figurines but of greenstone rather than clay. This one, whose identity and use are mysterious, holds objects that may address nature's fertility: on the right, perhaps a cut conch shell that refers to water, and on the left, what may be a plant or a bundle of green feathers that symbolizes new vegetation.
| Artist / Maker | Mesoamerica, Mexico, Olmec |
|---|---|
| Date | c. 900–300 BCE |
| Culture / Origin | Mesoamerica, Mexico, Olmec |
| Medium | albitite |
| Dimensions | Overall: 11 x 6.2 x 3.9 cm (4 5/16 x 2 7/16 x 1 9/16 in.) |
| Department | Art of the Americas |
| Type | Jade |
About the Artist
Provenance & Source
Image & data: Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 / Public Domain.
Condition
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