Given his nakedness, it is possible that the individual shown is a hunter and not a warrior; the sling he is holding is a weapon whose range varies according to its length and it can have a very powerful impact. It consists of straps made of vegetable textile fibers, such as sisal, leather or animal tendons; in the image the slinger has his loaded weapon extended; he seems to be about to aim it at a target in order to center the shot; then, with the right hand, he would whirl it over his head to fire the projectile, releasing one end of the cord. The projectiles would be naturally rounded or carved stones, or fired or unfired clay. The accuracy of the details of this small sculpture is remarkable: in addition to the arrangement described, the center of the sling where the cord divides, where the projectile is placed, was marked.
The athletic constitution of the slinger also stands out; with the slender torso, representation of the penis, stout arms and legs, and prominent buttocks, thereby expressing strength. The piece corresponds to the "realistic pastillage eyes" variant of the Tuxcacuesco-Ortices style and its production may be situated more accurately in the present-day territory of Colima. Among the many variants of this artistic style, as with this one, the human figures tend to be actually standing (in the others the legs are usually tapered, without feet).
Even in the one that we are looking at know the malleolus or ankles stand out and the size of the feet looks excessively large, perhaps as an overcorrection, but particularly suitable for ing the dynamic position of the individual: with his head turned to his left, and both arms towards the same side, the left one extended and the right one bent and pressed against his chest; the legs are far apart and knees bent.
When compared with other representations of slingers in the same stylistic variation, this work is unique because of the dimensions of the feet and their realistic shape; although it is noteworthy that all point the weapon to the left, apparently at the moment in which they aim the loaded weapon at the target, which implies that the shooters are right-handed.
Other representations of slingers are interpreted as warriors and not hunters because they carry shields on their backs; among the stylistic forms of ceramic art of the people of the shaft tombs, it is possible that only individuals with slings were modeled in the Comala style. In this the Warriors can wear a helmet and a tubular armor on their torso.
As is characteristic of this art, the nude is shown adorned; the naked slinger we see here wears a belt, anklets and a chin strap with bands that go around the face and behind the head; the ones crossing his forehead have been lost. The rectangular shape projecting on the back refers to a crest of hair, but I especially note that it gives the piece the quality of a whistle, since it has the shape of a nozzle and two holes, one at the back and the other to the side. Also, the perforations of the eyes indicate that the head is hollow and served as a resonance chamber.
In the Tuxcacuesco-Ortices style there are numerous sculptural whistles, like this. The fact that the slinger was also a whistle is consistent with its identification as a hunter; the whistle may simulate the sound of some animal that they intended to hunt. In the iconographic repertoire of this art, particularly in the styles situated in Colima, there are also images of hunters with their prey and game animals, such as ducks, armadillos, wild boars and snakes.
