Colima is one of the tiniest modern states in Mexico, located in the west-central region bordering the Pacific Ocean. Archaeologists refer to the culture that flourished there in ancient times by its modern name since very little information is known about the people themselves. In comparison with the high civilizations of the Olmecs, Maya, and Aztecs, the Colima, Nayarit, Jalisco, and Mezcala cultures remain shadowed in relative obscurity. The geography of the area discouraged contact with the rest of Mesoamerica, where more developed civilizations flourished. Because of the lack of similarities between these societies and those further east, archaeologists have postulated that West Mexico was comprised of many small political and social units, in contrast to the large eastern empires. Yet, while we know very little about the social and political organization of West Mexico, the objects that the people left behind give us insight into their daily lives. Artifacts of great subtlety and craftsmanship were found in shaft tombs across the region that attest to the skill of their makers. (A shaft tomb is a series of narrow burial chambers, located 3'-18' below ground, where multiple bodies were laid to rest along with large numbers of clay figures and pottery.)

AGE: 250 BC - 200 AD

CONDITION: Intact with a nicely burnished surface. Some loss around the hole in the back that doesn't detract from the appearance of the figure. A good example of an interesting and uncommon regional variant.