WESTERN MEXICO

If one includes in this category all of the area to the west and the southwest of the Valley of Mexico, a variety of ancient cultures are found to be represented. Throughout Guerrero and Michoacan there are distinctive cultural entities where the arts are obviously related to those of the more highly developed and also better known peoples of Central and Eastern Mexico. This is apparent at all time levels-from the Pre-Classic figurines of Chupicuaro and Michoacan, for example, which are clearly similar to those of Tlatilco-to the large and late sculptures of Michoacan which are related to forms at Tula and to those of the Post-Classic Maya.

GUERRERO

The archaeology of this region on the Pacific coast south of Mexico is poorly known, although large numbers of finely crafted objects of several distinct styles or cultures have been found there. Small Olmec style carvings in jade and serpentine are abundant, and some scholars- especially Miguel Covarrubias -have suggested that this may be the center of Olmec origins. The dating of the Mezcala and of the Chontal-style objects has never been clearly determined because little archaeological research has been done in the region.

735. Mezcala style standing figure.,
h. 35 cm

This unusually tall example typifies the major features of the Mezcala style. The abstract basic form is made with simple saw cuts and grooves with no attempt to depict the details such as eyes, hands or feet.

Exhib.: Villa Hugel, Essen: "Kunst aus Mexiko", May 8 - Aug. 18, 1974, No 172.

COLIMA

780. Dog with mask,
l. 28 cm

Several other Colima dogs with masks are known, including a much illustrated one in Mexico's Museum of Anthropology. They have occasioned much speculation as to their meaning,-that they represent the dog deity, XOLOTL, or that they merely indicate the psychological closeness of man to this favored household animal.

TEOTIHUACAN

Teotihuacan, just north of Mexico City, was the great center of the Classic Period in the Mexican Highlands where the outstanding artistic achievementes are the many pyramids and other buildings variously embellished with mural paintings and sculpture. The kinds of smaller objects that occur are represented by the few that follow, datable to the period of about 200-750 A.D.

804. Dancing figure,
h. 12 cm

Highly realistic figurine heads that were made in molds are found abundantly at Teotihuacan -the thin, stick-like but hand-made bodies having broken away. A few of the complete figurines known represent dancing figures such as this one. The body here is partially restored.

OAXACA

The area of Oaxaca was a major center of Mesoamerican culture and art. There were many linguistically distinct groups, but the two most important ones, the Zapotec and the Mixtec, serve to identify roughly the two dominant traditions we see archaeologically. The Zapotec occupied most of central Oaxaca with Monte Alban being their major site. The art style encountered there we identify as Zapotec. The Mixtec area comprises western and northern Oaxaca. The archaeology of this area is not well-defined and consists mainly of relatively late or Post-Classic materials. At the time, however, it was noted for producing the finest art of Mexico-especially its polychrome pottery, its lapidary art of jade and other gem-stones, and for its superb objects of gold.

811. Zapotec funerary urn,
h. 38 cm

Many large, heavy, and very elaborate urns of this kind have been found in Zapotec tombs throughout Central Oaxaca, the best known being those of Monte Alban. The container or urn itself is normally a cylindrical vessel at the back, often hidden as in this example by the elaborate modeled figure. Extensive and detailed studies of Zapotec urns have been made, and it is generally conceded that they represent a number of distinct Zapotec deities, some of which can be identified. Dr. Frank H. Boos who specialized in the study of the urns has identified this example as belonging to the Monte Alban III B Period and as representing Pitao Cozobi, God of Abundant Sustenance, Lord of the Fields of Maize. Like many urns, it is coated with a red pigment.

Lit.: Frank H. Boos: A Zapotec funerary urn displaying the figure of the God Pitao Cozobi. Finskt Museum 1966.

CENTRAL VERA CRUZ

This Gulf Coastal region of Mexico is archaeologically extremely rich with ma ny known ancient sites representing a variety of cultures. It seems generally to have played an important role in Meso american history, perhaps due in part to its central location between other major centers. The most spectacular site is that of El Tajin, noted particularly for its Pyramid of the Niches, and for the sophisticated curvilinear style of relief carving on ar chitectural elements as well as on the "yokes", palmas and hachas that are in this particular artistic treatment clearly related to El Tajin. Known as the Classic Vera Cruz style, this relief carving has often been noted as being remarkably similar to the decorative ornament of the Shang and Chou Dynasties of ancient China.

Further south in an area just west of the City of Vera Cruz numerous ceramic sculptures of great variety and interest have been found. They are known collec tively as being part of the Las Remojadas culture, the name being that of the first of these sites discovered, and are well represented in this collection.

843. Head of large Smiling-face figure,
bredd 22 cm

Smiling or happy looking faces are most unusual in Mesoamerican art. Often con sidered to be an indication of mere pleasure, it has been suggested also that they may represent persons in trance-like states due to the use of haliucinogenic drugs. The crossed elements or "mat" symbol is found elsewhere at Teotihua can and in the Maya area.

MAYA

In some aspects of their culture, -in their architecture, in their writing, and in their mathematical-calendrical knowledge, as well as in stone sculpture-the Maya were supreme, not only in Mesoamerica but in the entire New World. In the minor arts too, as in jade carving, in ceramic figurines, and in the painting and carving of pottery vessels, they often achieved great mastery.

872. Metate and mano.,
l. 68cm

Metates of this kind are found primarily in the coastal region of Honduras, just to the east of the border of the Maya area, and it is questionable whether they can be identified as Maya. Without doubt, however, its refined elegance of form make it a notable work of art.

PERU

While there is a prevalent inclination to feel that the degree of civilization achieved in the Andean Area of South America was not quite equal to that of Mesoamerica, the opposite view can also be argued. Although nothing like the complex calendar, the advanced building techniques, and the elaborate stone sculpture of the Maya ever appeared in the Andean area, they did develop in Inca times the most intricately organized political system that existed in the New World.

Andean artists did produce, moreover, a great range of truly remarkable works of art in ceramics, woodcarving, metalwork and textiles that are of extraordinary interest. Of these a good sampling exists in this collection, especially in ceramics. There are good examples of most of the major periods, from Chavin as the earliest, on up through Mochica and the final Chimu-Inca period.

922. Double-bodied whistling vessel,
Mochica, l. 68cm

Whistling vessels are common in Peru and occur as far north as Central Mexico. A whistling sound occurs when liquid is poured into the vessel.

COLOMBIA

Colombia is noted for the great numbers of gold objects that have come from its ancient sites, some of them unsurpassed for quality of'workmanship in the New World. The several terms.used, such as Quimbaya, Muisca or Calima, refer to the styles of design that occur in different parts of the country.