Seated Male Figure

Large figures such as this one from the western Mexican states of Colima, Jalisco and Nayrit are found in shaft tombs. They have been interpreted as guardians in the afterlife. The figure is fashioned as a container with a spout on top. He wears a unique type of tight-fitting pants common in areas of ancient Ecuador. His cape is of Mexican form but the band of incised blocks may be influenced by types known in Ecuador. His pierced ears indicate high rank.

Figures such as this example were made from earthenware, a porous clay fired at a low temperature. The artist coated parts of the figure with slip, a liquid clay, that in this case turned red when fired, then applied additional paint