Pre-Columbian Mixtec Greenstone Figure of Tlaloc
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Pre-Columbian Mixtec Greenstone Figure of Tlaloc
Postclassic Period, ca. AD 900–1521
A substantial Mixtec carved greenstone figure depicting Tlaloc, the Mesoamerican deity associated with rain, water, fertility, and agricultural abundance. The figure stands rigidly with the arms folded across the abdomen and displays an imposing, highly stylized visage.
The head is dominated by large circular, goggle-like eyes, one of the most recognizable attributes associated with Tlaloc and related rain-deity imagery in ancient Mesoamerica. Deeply carved facial elements surround the mouth and cheeks, creating the characteristic mask-like appearance. Incised details articulate the headdress, arms, hands, and lower body.
Carved from a dense green-colored stone, the figure possesses a strong sculptural presence. The surfaces exhibit areas of mineral accretion, deposits, and wear consistent with its collection history and age attribution. The reverse is comparatively flat and minimally worked, suggesting that the frontal and profile views were intended to carry the principal iconographic imagery.
Tlaloc and cognate rain deities occupied an exceptionally important position within Mesoamerican religion. Rainfall was fundamental to the cultivation of maize and other crops, and imagery connected with rain, mountains, water, and agricultural fertility appears throughout central and southern Mexican artistic traditions.
Provenance:
Private collection, Virginia;
Ararity Auctions, Virginia;
A striking example of Pre-Columbian lapidary sculpture, distinguished by its monumental facial treatment, deeply carved Tlaloc-style goggle eyes, compact anthropomorphic form, and substantial greenstone construction.