Cylindrical Seal with Flower-like Motif c. 1200

This cylindrical seal with a flower-like motif was created by the Tlatilco people, though its exact date is unknown. The Tlatilco were an early Mesoamerican culture who lived in the Valley of Mexico. Cylindrical seals such as this one were used to create impressions on clay and other materials. The impressions could have been used for a variety of purposes, such as marking ownership, decorating pottery, or even as a form of writing. In many ways, the seal prefigures the printing press. The Tlatilco were a complex society with a rich culture. They were skilled artisans who produced a wide variety of objects, and their art reflects their beliefs and values. The flower-like motif on this seal is a common symbol in Mesoamerican art, and it may have represented fertility, life, or the natural world. The seal is an expression of the culture that produced it, and the culture can be better understood through objects like the seal. As historians, we can look to archeological reports and anthropological studies to learn more about the role of art objects in ancient cultures.