Miniature figurine c. 1500

This miniature figurine was created by the Tlatilco people in the area we now know as Central Mexico. Figurines such as these reveal a culture with a complex symbolic language. The rounded shape of the body and the breasts may represent fertility. Perhaps it served a ritualistic purpose in Tlatilco society. Or maybe it reflects the social status of the person it represents. We can ask ourselves what the role of women was in Tlatilco society. What did they represent? What meanings can we ascribe to it? How does this figurine fit within broader Tlatilco artistic and cultural conventions? To truly understand this piece, we need to draw upon the work of archaeologists, anthropologists, and art historians, piecing together a richer understanding of the civilization that produced it.