|
HOME :
Pre-Columbian Art :
Pre-Columbian Masterpieces : Mezcala Stone Idol
|
 |
|
|
|
Mezcala Stone Idol - X.0460
Origin: Guerrero, Mexico
Circa: 300
BC
to 300
AD
Dimensions:
13" (33.0cm) high
x 3.25" (8.3cm) wide
x 2.5" (6.4cm) depth
Collection: Pre-Columbian
Style: Mezcala
Medium: Stone
Location: Great Britain
|
|
|
| Photo Gallery |
|
|
| Description |
This sculpture exudes a force of the ages. It has
witnessed the passage of seasons and the
passage of civilizations. Today it stands as the
reminder of a forgotten era. However,
superstitions still pervade our modern society
and today, our understanding of the universe
and science still cannot provide answers to all
our questions. Like a miniature idol from Easter
Island, the facial features of this figure are
clearly defined with a prominent jaw, raised
brow, and T-shaped nose. His legs are slightly
open and his elongated arms are clenched tightly
to the sides of his torso. If inverted, the figure
transforms into the head of a jaguar, the sacred
beast of the jungles of Mexico, much like
shamans were thought to transmogrify into wild
animals. The open legs become ears, the carved
diagonal lines that indicate the forearms become
eyes, and the figure’s face becomes the feline’s
muzzle. Meanwhile, the columnar contours of
the statue also echo the form of a phallus.
Similar idols were believed to have been used as
pestles to grind up corn or wheat. Given the
large size of this figure, it is possible that it was
used as a pestle in a ceremonial context and the
top of the head does exhibit wear consistent with
such a use. Thus as the women of the tribe
prepared the food, they would have held in their
hands the symbol of male fertility, linking the
immediate survival of the community through
food with the procreation of the species through
copulation. All at the same time invoking the
favors of the gods. The power present in this
statue is as real today as it was in ancient times.
The vital components of life never change. This
image of fertility, of nourishment, of the divine,
is as relevant to our reality as it was to those who
carved it.
- (X.0460)
|
| |
|
