In a territory devoid of stone where even the architecture was made from earth to shape the temples of the cities, it is conceivable that pottery was developed to the point where an understanding was reached of the benefits of clay that would allow for the production of great pieces of fired clay to take the place of carved stone sculptures in ceremonial chambers.
Mostly fired in parts, the potters from the central region of Veracruz, specifically those living in the Papaloapan River basin, produced large clay figures of exceptional artistic value. The technique was usually similar for all the hollow pieces regardless of size. The key was to pierce a series of holes in the fresh clay to allow moisture to escape during firing thus preventing the figure from exploding inside the kiln.
The figure of interest displays a regular-sized perforation in the head just above the neck, and probably had another in the back of the body. This is the depiction of an individual adorned with a magnificent headdress which, despite its fragmentary state, is still possible to appreciate its complexity. Over the face on the tufts of hair there is a kind of "visor" that covers the forehead. Heavily decorated with applications of pastillage, including clay strips that hang off the sides of the face, with a splendid feather motif on top consisting of three large bundles that attach behind the head. The figure is adorned with tubular ear-flaps and rich necklaces.
However, beyond the ostentation boasted by this character, there is something that makes it exceptional. It is the eyes, identical in shape to those displayed in another piece at the Amparo Museum. The latter corresponds to a splendid face where the pupils are also evoked by a play on light and dark produced by modeling the fundus of the eye at various levels. Knowing that the Pre-Columbian museum collection is composed of acquired pieces whose exact origin is unknown, it would not be impossible to suppose that both come from the same place.
Not only are we dealing with objects that must apparently be attributed to the same pottery workshop, it is also possible to assume that as they were found together, they would have been affected by a fire that occurred in the past in much the same way. This beautiful figure is completely blackened because of its proximity to a heat source, with the materials consumed by the fire, while its likely partner is completely annealed, to the point that the clay acquired the color and texture of brick. Since it was not at all common for potters to fire at such temperatures as excessive heat would fracture or cause the surface to crumble, it is possible to infer that the context of its appearance was a burned room where the ceilings were charred and consequently the clay figures were smoked or even annealed as a result of the intense heat that occurred during the fire.
In a territory devoid of stone where even the architecture was made from earth to shape the temples of the cities, it is conceivable that pottery was developed to the point where an understanding was reached of the benefits of clay that would allow for the production of great pieces of fired clay to take the place of carved stone sculptures in ceremonial chambers.
