After 250 A.D. objects made from clay increased
dramatically in Teotihuacan, serving a wide
variety of purposes and functions. This intriguing
head was once attached to a bust or full figure,
and therefore was probably either a host figurine
or "puppet". Both categories of figures were
found in burials and caches. The host figurine
commemorated important events within the city
of Teotihuacan and other parts of Mesoamerica,
portraying individuals of different rank and
status (such as soldiers, merchants or
bureaucrats), and occasionally divinities.
Puppets, or articulated figurines, constitute a
fascinating group of clay objects with moveable
limbs. The slight indentation, or cleft of the
head, and the flattened face are characteristic of
puppet faces, most of which are female. This
head's slightly parted mouth and half-closed
eyes give the impression of someone in a trance
or hallucinogenic state. It's beauty comes from
the delicate curves of the face, the high
forehead, carefully modeled features, and a
mysterious quality beyond definition.
- (PF.3041)
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