Head Effigy Bowl

After about 200 BC, West Mexican chieftains gained in authority, their new status reflected in shaft tombs that shelter not only their remains but also lavish offerings, including sculptural ceramics. Many of the ceramics may refer to the crucial activities of a chief's life, such as marriage, feasting, and war. The meaning of this unusual bowl-a head whose gaping mouth serves as the aperture-is unknown.

Credit: Gift of Mr. and Mrs. James C. Gruener