These pieces contrast significantly with those of dwarf figures. Although they also represent mostly young women, and often have some of the ritual ball game attire, they tend to be of a lower quality finish and workmanship. Their features are also contrasting: the necks are thick, the faces less detailed, the arms are frequently conical, irregular incisions are present, the crests or headdresses are more fragile, the painting that represents the clothing is less common, the surfaces are mostly flat but rarely polished, and the posture is less straight and stable.
In size they are quite variable, and some are usually smaller than others. There is also more differentiation in the manufacturing paste, from the finest with little degreaser, similar to the previous figurines, up to the thicker degreaser and the remarkably crude mix.
In archaeological , these figurines belong to the group originally called "Panuco type B" in the Northern Gulf which date to the Classic Period (300-900 A.D.). However, in reality this class of figurines has a greater distribution than many other types, including the more elaborate "Panuco C." They are also found, not in great quantity but to a great extent, throughout the Northern-Central Gulf area. They probably correspond to the strong influence, if not the direct presence, of the Huastecos in regions attached to their nucleus in the Northern Gulf.
Among the adornments, there are some that could be associated with the ball game; however, without the laboratory examination of the paint or incision, it is difficult to know. What we do know is that scarifications, tattoos, and painted symbols were very common in the Huasteca region and since a very long time ago. It is almost always difficult to be sure which of these forms of body decoration is being symbolized on figurines and clay recipients.
The above occurs in representations of both men and women. Perhaps it was very popular in the Huasteca due to the common practice of not wearing much clothing in this very warm region most of the year. However, this usage became a cultural custom, which is noticeable when seeing contemporary Huastecs.
In the case of the figurines in this group, there is a possibility that the elongated and raised lines shown on the thighs were actually a kind of protection inserted into some cotton cloth that they dressed in for the ritual of the ball game. The Huasteca region was very famous for its use of cotton and the manufacture of clothing of many kinds and even thick armor in the form of warrior vests for protection from arrows, etc.
In some representations from this group of pieces, and from the ball game examined above, it seems that if they were not body decorations, the marks on the legs are part of a protective clothing of the hips and thighs in the ritual. If so, there were ball game formats practiced by young women, which involved using the hips or thighs to return the heavy rubber ball.
The piece we are concerned with here is a figurine of a young, nude and standing woman. Her arms are conical with incisions at the ends. The toes are also made with non-numerical incisions. The face may have been made using a mold, and the eyes were perforated with something similar to a needle. Her lips are large, almost swollen with a triangular clay nose and the ears are invisible due to the fact that they are covered by earrings with long pendants.
In the upper part of the head there is a crack that has tar. This substance was used to hold the crest or headdress as an adhesive. Tar was used throughout the Huasteca as glue for clay objects due to its easy access in the lowlands of the Gulf, where a large number of deposits and their wide distribution can be found.
The surface of the body, especially taking into the back which is best preserved, could have been covered with a creamy engobe and possibly had some polishing but not over the entire body. There is no indication of a specific type of clothing with the exception of an adornment represented by a small band of clay under the waist that has a discoloration consistent with a belt. This type of garment was probably originally painted.
The gender of this figurine is not fully clear. Whether male or female, the representation of this individual is of someone very young. It is most likely a woman. This type of figurine has been found especially in the Northern Gulf but also in the Central-Northern part. It corresponds to a type normally called “Panuco B” from the Classic period (300-900 A.D.).
