Pre-Columbian, Mesoamerican Formative Period, Guerrero State, Mexico, Xochipala culture, ca. 13th to 10th century BCE. A fascinating ceramic figure of a ballplayer wearing a thick yoke around his or her waist, what appears to be a helmet with applied disc decoration on its surface, and a short skirt above two thick, muscular thighs. The figure stands dynamically, as if ready to spring into action, with the eyes and mouth wide open, caught in the act of playing the life or death game. Figures from this culture, while rare, are noted for their naturalistic poses and attention to detail, despite their early date in the Mesoamerican ceramic tradition. Size: 3.25" W x 6.45" H (8.3 cm x 16.4 cm); 8.5" H (21.6 cm) on included custom stand.

Provenance: private southern California, USA collection, acquired in the 1970s to mid-1980s

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#140912

Losses to limbs below elbow and knee. Repaired just below the neck; repair is very well done and very difficult to see. Extensive white pigment remaining.