Pre-Columbian Veracruz Pottery Female Figure with Bitumen Highlights
Veracruz culture, Gulf Coast of Mexico, ca. 600 – 900 CE
Height: 6 in (15.2 cm) – Custom metal display stand included

An expressive ceramic figure from the Classic-period Veracruz culture, skillfully modeled to depict a standing female with characteristic sculptural features. The figure is rendered with a slender waist and rounded hips, her torso and legs carefully shaped to emphasize anatomical form. She wears a wrap-style skirt indicated by incised detailing around the waist and thighs, and remnants of ancient bitumen pigment are visible on the face, shoulders, and legs — a hallmark of Veracruz ceramic decoration that was often applied for ritual or symbolic purposes.

The face is highly stylized, with a prominent nose, pierced ears for large ornaments, and deep incised lines extending from the eyes, likely representing ritual paint or tears associated with fertility rites. The figure’s short, coiled hairstyle and distinctive facial markings are consistent with elite depictions in Veracruz art, possibly representing a priestess or noblewoman engaged in ceremonial practice.

Despite ancient losses to both forearms, the piece remains well-preserved with excellent surface condition, root marks, and mineral deposits attesting to its long burial. Mounted on a custom metal stand for ideal display.

Provenance:
Ex Leigh Fincher, Florida collection, acquired on the U.S. art market in the mid-20th century.