Mesoamerica

This category presents antiquities connected to the ancient cultures of Mesoamerica, a region that includes parts of present-day Mexico and Central America. The objects reflect societies known for their complex belief systems, artistic traditions, and advanced urban cultures, offering insight into how material forms expressed ritual, identity, and social order.

Miniature metate stone grinding slab from Central Mexico, 700–1000 CE

Miniature Metate (700–1000 CE)

Antiquities Household Items Mesoamerica Veracruz culture

This miniature metate is a small, intricately carved stone grinding slab from Central Mexico, likely originating in Xochicalco (Morelos region) during the Epiclassic period.

Ceramic vase with trophy heads from ancient Peru, c. 450–600

Vase with Trophy-Heads (c. 450–600 CE)

Nasca Antiquities Ceremonial & Religious Mesoamerica

The imagery on the vase reflects a key aspect of Nasca religious and social life: the practice of headhunting, which was not random violence but a deeply symbolic act tied to fertility, death, and the renewal of life.

Aztec Chalchiuhtlicue sculpture, 1200–1521 CE, goddess figure in stone

Aztec Chalchiuhtlicue (1200-1521 CE)

Antiquities Aztec Ceremonial & Religious Mesoamerica

Chalchiuhtlicue, the goddess of terrestrial waters—rivers, lakes, and groundwater—was central to Aztec cosmology, reflecting the critical role of water in their agriculture-based society.

Isthmian gold pendant figure with deer antlers, Panama region, 400–700 CE.

Figure with Deer Antlers Pendant (400–700 CE)

Antiquities Ceremonial & Religious Isthmian culture Mesoamerica

This 5th–8th century CE gold pendant from Panama or Venado Beach region depicts a hybrid male figure with deer, feline, and serpent features.

Maya cylindrical vessel with carved ballplayer figure, c. 600–1000 CE.

Vessel With Ballplayer (c.600-1000 CE)

Antiquities Ceremonial & Religious Maya Mesoamerica

This cylindrical vessel, adorned with a carved depiction of a diving ballplayer, captures the dynamic intensity of the Mesoamerican ballgame, a central ritual in Maya culture.

Nayarit earthenware pair of standing figures in Ixtlán del Río style, 100 BCE–300 CE.

Pair of Standing Figures (100 BCE-300 CE)

Antiquities Ceremonial & Religious Mesoamerica Nayarit

A pair of standing figures, crafted in the Ixtlán del Río style from earthenware with colored slips, depicts a male and female adorned with jewelry and symbolic attributes.

Olmec stone celt with carved deity, c. 1000–300 BCE

Celt With Deity (c.1000-300 BCE)

Antiquities Ceremonial & Religious Mesoamerica Olmec

This ceremonial stone celt from the Olmec civilization merges the form of an agricultural tool with the face of a supernatural being.

Maya earthenware warrior figurine from Jaina Island, 600–900 CE

Warrior Figurine (600-900 CE)

Antiquities Ceremonial & Religious Maya Mesoamerica

Molded c. 600–900 CE, this Maya earthenware from Jaina Island bears Maya blue warrior attire.

Olmec stone head fragment, c. 900–300 BCE

Olmec Head Fragment (c.900-300 BCE)

Antiquities Mesoamerica Olmec Sculpture

Carved c. 900–300 BCE, this Olmec jadeite head from Mexico’s Gulf Coast blends human features with supernatural incisions.

Huastec earthenware head with serpent animal helmet, c. 600–1000 CE

Head With Animal Helmet (c. 600-1000 CE)

Antiquities Huastec Mesoamerica Sculpture

Modeled between the 7th and 11th centuries, this earthenware figure with an animal helmet from Mexico’s Gulf Coast tops a human head with a serpent helmet.