Seated polychrome figure of a male
Once containing seeds for use in ceremonial
rituals, this polychrome vessel boldly
incorporates geometric patterns consistent with
traditional Casas Grandes motifs, but with a
uniquely asymmetrical presentation even
referencing both the male and female
Notice the grouping of three parallel lines under
each of the eyes. This is reminiscent of one of
the most ancient and widespread gods of
Mesoamerica, Tlaloc, god of water and giver of
life. Symbolic as fallen tears, Tlaloc took special
notice when the tears were of children as they
were the ones usually sacrificed in his honor.
The more the children cried, the greater the
expected rainfall. Beholding this icon of ancient
art, it makes the mind wander if it was an
ancestor figure, a deity, or a symbol of fertility.
In the region of what is now the vast desert of
Northern Chihuahua there once existed a great
cultural and trading center known as Casas
Grandes. Raw materials such as seashells and
tortoise shells were imported, stored, and later
worked into jewelry and religious items by Casas
Grandes artisans. A wide variety of distinctive
pottery was made locally and traded for other
styles from regions in the north, including the
Anasazi from modern Arizona, via well-worn
trails. The cities architecture and public works
suggest the presence of an organized
government. Similar to the Anasazi, this thriving
indigenous society seemed to suddenly vanish,
leaving behind nothing more than scorched
buildings, deteriorating artifacts, and human and
animal remains; frustrating clues for scientists to
speculate over the rich cultural traditions of the
Casas Grandes pueblo people and their sudden
demise
- (SP.549)
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