Chontal and Mezcala
Head
Mezcala, 300-100
Scroll
Physical Qualities
Volcanic rock, possibly welded tuff, 7 7/8 × 5 1/8 × 3 1/8 in. (20 × 13 × 8 cm.)
Credit Line
Gift of Alan Wurtzburger
Object Number
1960.30.24
Mezcala refers to the tradition of stone sculpture recognized for its emphasis on volume which was manipulated with minimal carving. Masks or face panels occur infrequently in the Mezcala sculptural repertoire. Most range in the size of six inches and are drilled with suspension holes, suggesting the masks were attached to mummy bundles rather than worn on the face.
Henry Moore and the Pre-Columbian Past
Baltimore Museum of Art. The Alan Wurtzburger Collection of Pre-Columbian Art. Baltimore, MD: Baltimore Museum of Art, 1958, no. 24, page 12.
Gay, Carlo, and Frances Pratt
1992. Mezcala: Ancient Stone Sculpture from Guerrero, Mexico. Balsas Publications, New York.
1992. Mezcala: Ancient Stone Sculpture from Guerrero, Mexico. Balsas Publications, New York.
