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HOME :
PRE COLUMBIAN ART :
Pre-Columbian Art Collection/ HK : Olmecoid Sculpture of a Woman
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Olmecoid Sculpture of a Woman - PF.5415
Origin: Morelos, Mexico
Circa: 900
BC
to 500
BC
Dimensions:
8" (20.3cm) high
Collection: Pre-Columbian
Medium: Terracotta
Additional Information: Hong-Kong
Location: UAE
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| Description |
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The Olmecs are generally considered to be the
ultimate ancestor of all
subsequent Mesoamerican civilisations. Thriving
between about 1200
and 400 BC, their base was the tropical lowlands of
south central
Mexico, an area characterized by swamps
punctuated by low hill ridges
and volcanoes. Here the Olmecs practiced advanced
farming
techniques and constructed permanent settlements.
However, the
consolidation of their city-states led to notable
cultural influence far
beyond their heartland, and throughout the
Mesoamerican region. It
would appear that the Olmec style became
synonymous with elite
status in other (predominantly highland) groups, with
evidence for
exchange of artefacts in both directions. A non-
literate group, the
Olmecs nevertheless paved the way for the
development of writing
systems in the loosely defined Epi- Olmec period (c.
500 BC). Further
innovations include arguably the first use of the zero,
so instrumental
in the Maya long count vigesimal calendrical system.
They also appear
to have been the originators of the famous
Mesoamerican ballgame so
prevalent among later cultures in the region, and
either retained or
invented several religious symbols such as the
feathered serpent and
the rain spirit, which persisted in subsequent and
related cultures until
the middle ages.
Comparatively little is known of their magico-
religious world,
although the clues that we have are tantalizing. The
art forms for
which the Olmecs are best known, the monumental
stone heads
weighing up to forty tons, are generally assumed to
pertain to some
form of kingly leader or possibly an ancestor. The
smaller jade figures
and celts are believed to be domestically or
institutionally based
totems or divinities. The quality of production is
astonishing,
particularly if one considers the technology available
for production,
the early date of the pieces, and the dearth of earlier
works upon
which the Olmec sculptors could draw. Some pieces
are highly
stylized, while others demonstrate striking
naturalism.
The term “Olmecoid” refers to those unknown
cultures that lived on
the periphery of the Olmec and were highly
influenced by their
neighbor. As such, Olmecoid works of art reflect
stylistic tendencies
characteristic of the greater Olmec culture, albeit
mixed with their own
indigenous qualities. The general
forms of the sculpture, especially the slanted,
narrow eyes, are clearly derived from Olmec art.
We can imagine some ancient Mesoamerican
honoring this work with libations of food and
drink. In turn, the goddess would bestow
fertility upon her faithful servant. If the
worshipper is already pregnant, such a work can
help ensure a healthy birth without
complications. Today, this work harkens back to
an earlier time when mankind’s understanding of
the world was outweighed by superstitions and
fear of the gods. This goddess is a memorial to
an ancient culture and a forgotten world.
- (PF.5415)
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