Figure of male with arms outstretched

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This figure of a standing man with his arms outstretched comes from a shaft-and-chamber tomb. It was buried with the dead as one of the grave gifts, and no doubt had symbolic significance. It is of a well-known style of pottery from the Nayarit region.

This hollow ceramic figure, with a dark red-brown burnished surface, shows a standing man with deliberately deformed head, small outstretched arms, large legs and arched feet. His genitals are not shown. He wears a headband, earrings and a nose ring.

Many shaft-and-chamber tombs were built for multiple burials in West Mexico between 300 BC-AD 200. Several pottery figures were deposited as grave goods, along with jewellery and other possessions. These figures may have been companions for the dead.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-100-104-664-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  A.1962.723
• Date: 300 BC - AD 200
  Between 300 BC and 200 AD
  
• Material: Figurine, human
  
• Dimensions: 13.00" H
  
• What: Figurine, human
  
• Subject: Figure pottery
  
• Who:
• Where: Mexico, Ancient Mexico, Western Mexico
  
• Event:
• Description: Figurine in pottery, coated with dark red slip, possibly representing a standing man: Ancient Mexico, from Western Mexico, Late Archaic Culture of Nayarit, Perequillo Style, 300 BC - AD 200
  
• References:
  • Gallagher, J. 1983. Companions of the Dead: Ceramic Tomb Sculptures from Ancient West Mexico. Los Angeles: UCLA 
  • Townsend, R F 1998. Ancient West Mexico: Art and Archaeology of the Unknown Past. London: Thames & Hudson 
• Translations:
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