Pre-Columbian, Southern Mexico to Guatemala, Olmec, ca. 900 to 500 BCE. An exquisite, finely-carved blue-green jadeite were-jaguar figure, standing in a characteristically stiff pose with lengthy arms positioned along his sides and stocky, slightly-bent legs with protruding knees. The slightly concave abdomen traces upwards to smooth pectorals and a stocky neck. Hallmark Olmec features on the elongated head include drilled almond-shaped eyes with double pupils, a naturalistic nose, an open mouth with upturned lips characteristic of were-jaguars, and bar-shaped ears with piercings meant for suspending earrings or other ornamentation. The jowly visage is of a recognizable “baby face” presentation, and the elongated head is a figural depiction of ritualistic cranial deformation. A superb sculptural work from the Olmec replete with sumptuous colors and expert artistry! Size: 0.6″ L x 2.1″ W x 4.7″ H (1.5 cm x 5.3 cm x 11.9 cm); 5″ H (12.7 cm) on included custom stand.

The attention to detail on this piece is rather impressive. Note the expressive lips, clefted palette of the jaguar mouth, and the full nose with flared nostrils, as well as the delineated fingers and toes. After finely sculpting all the details, the figure was then meticulously sanded and polished until its surface gained a reflective sheen. 

The Olmec are the ancestors of all Mesoamerican civilizations, and their artistic style, practiced in the tropical lowlands of south-central Mexico and diffused outward through extensive trade networks that stretched into northern Mexico and central America, were inspirational for those who came after. As the first major civilization in this fertile area, scholars believe that Olmec artwork was revered by later civilizations that kept pieces as heirlooms. The Olmec style is famous for its anthropomorphic depictions and became synonymous with elite status in the highlands. They created enormous stone heads, probably the first thing many people think of when remembering the Olmec, but they also made handheld figures like this one as personal totems or divinities created for display in homes or certain types of temple