Tlatilco culture

The Tlatilco culture is named after the nearby west of Mexico City suburb Tlatilco. So far, three sites are known, which are attributed to this culture: Tlatilco, Tlapacoya and Coapexco.

Geography

The three places mentioned are all located at the former lagoon lakes in the area of Mexico City at an altitude of 2300 m above sea level at the. inst and were relatively late perceived by the archaeological research, there was nothing to be seen above ground, for buildings or other objects made ​​of stone (eg stelae or altars ) were unknown. The lagoons offered but all year sufficient water; their riparian zones were fruitful and also attracted game and birds that have been hunted.

Living conditions

It is believed that the creator of the exceptional clay figurines in - reinforced with wooden poles - one-room huts made of reed lived, whose outer walls were pelted for better insulation against winter or nocturnal coolness with clay. In addition to hunting, they subsisted on fishing and agriculture (corn, beans, tomatoes, chili, etc.) - perhaps even on floating acreage ( chinampas ). Draft animals to help with the fieldwork and the processing of metals was unknown; only obsidian knife and scraper were used.

History

The Tlatilco culture is the oldest culture in the central Mexican highlands, of the major artifacts in the form of - are preserved clay figurines - mostly hollow. They are usually in the time between 1500 BC and 1000 BC dated and associated with artistic influences from the Olmec culture. Many of the finds come from illegal excavations in the 1930s and 1940s, and there are American and Mexican private collections - only gradually reach some of the objects in the museums.

Found objects

The most fully plastic figurines, of which about 200 are known so far have all been found in tombs and are therefore to be regarded neither as use - even as ritual objects. They were probably from the outset as a finely crafted grave goods designed (see Jaina ). They witness an extraordinary observation skills and a high artistic craftsmanship of their creators. It can be found both female and male sculptures - animals and abstract motifs play a major role. Representations of gods and / or rulers or kings, priests are missing, suggesting a rather small scale rural - social structure. Some of the clay figures show strange deformities such as two heads - whether they are also due to nature observation or imagination of its creators, is unclear.

Pictures

Vase with geometric decoration

Vessel in the form of a peccary

Henkel vessel with rounded base

Female figurine with a high headdress

Henkel vessel in the form of an acrobat

2 female figurines

Two-faced mask