Miniature figurine c. 1500

This miniature figurine was made by the Tlatilco people in the region that is now Central Mexico. Though small, the object offers a window into a society whose larger structures are now lost to us. Clay figurines such as this one are often found in burial sites and likely played a role in spiritual practices. How might we understand its cultural context? The holes in the head suggests it might have been worn as a pendant, but what might this have signified? What social meanings or taboos might have informed the creation and use of this figurine? As historians, we might look to surviving accounts of similar cultures or anthropological studies of burial practices to begin answering these questions. We can also study the materials used, the techniques of production, and the distribution of such objects to piece together a more complete picture. Ultimately, the meaning of this figurine is contingent on the social and institutional context in which it was created and used.