Seated pottery figure at The British Museum, London

myminifactory

Olmec figurines showcase people of all ages. They reveal a deep fascination with the human life-cycle, particularly the transformation of a newborn child from a wild state to becoming fully adult. The use of fine white kaolin clay gives this figure a plastic, lifelike quality and traces of vivid red pigment are still visible on the original. This article explores Olmec figurines produced by Formative Period inhabitants of Mesoamerica. While many of these figurines may or may not have been created directly by people living in the Olmec heartland, they display hallmarks and motifs characteristic of Olmec culture. Despite the extent of Olmec control over areas beyond their heartland being unknown, Formative Period figurines with Olmec motifs were widespread throughout nearly all of Mesoamerica from 1000 to 500 BCE. These figurines are commonly found in household waste, ancient construction debris, and outside the Olmec heartland in graves. Many Olmec-style figurines, especially those labeled as Las Bocas- or Xochipala-style, were recovered by looters and lack provenance. Most figurines are simple in design, often nude or with minimal clothing, and made from local terracotta. Most recoveries are mere fragments: a head, arm, torso, or leg. It's thought that figurines were also carved from wood, based on wooden busts recovered from the waterlogged El Manati site, but none have survived. More durable and well-known are those figurines carved with skill from jade, serpentine, greenstone, basalt, and other minerals and stones. This object is part of "Scan The World". Scan the World is a non-profit initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory, through which we're creating a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks, and landmarks from across the globe for the public to access for free. Scan the World is an open-source community effort. If you have interesting items around you and would like to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to find out how you can help. Scanned: Photogrammetry (Processed using Agisoft PhotoScan)