Miniature Metate (700–1000 CE)

This miniature metate is a small, intricately carved stone grinding slab from Central Mexico, likely originating in Xochicalco (Morelos region) during the Epiclassic period (700–1000 CE). Measuring just 17.5 × 13 × 3 cm (6 7/8 × 5 1/8 × 1 3/16 in.), it is far too small for everyday use in grinding maize, suggesting it served a ceremonial, symbolic, or votive purpose. Its underside features a striking relief carving of a rattlesnake positioned above a glyph representing the number nine (a bar symbolizing five plus four dots), which may refer to “9 Rattlesnake”—possibly a personal name or a date in the local calendar. This object highlights the dynamic cultural exchanges of ancient Mesoamerica.

Metates—flat stone slabs used with a handheld mano stone to grind maize into dough (masa)—were essential tools in Mesoamerican households, primarily associated with women’s daily labor. Full-sized versions date back thousands of years, but miniature examples like this one emerged during the Epiclassic period (roughly 650–900 CE), a time of political fragmentation after the collapse of Teotihuacan around 650 CE. New centers like Xochicalco rose as fortified, multicultural hubs for trade, astronomy, and religion, blending influences from Teotihuacan, Maya, Zapotec, and Veracruz regions.  

This metate was created amid extensive interregional contacts, as evidenced by its hybrid style: the numeric glyphs follow Xochicalco conventions, while the rattlesnake carving echoes detailed serpent motifs from Classic Veracruz to the east. Xochicalco itself, perched on a hilltop about 80 km south of modern Mexico City, featured monumental architecture like the Pyramid of the Feathered Serpent, adorned with similar serpentine reliefs. The object thus reflects a transitional era leading into the Postclassic period, before the rise of the Toltecs.

Specific anecdotes about this exact object are limited, as it is an archaeological piece without recorded personal stories. However, its “9 Rattlesnake” motif offers intriguing interpretive possibilities: in Mesoamerican naming practices, individuals often received calendar-based names (e.g., “8 Deer” or “4 Flower” in later Aztec systems), and “coatl” (serpent in Nahuatl) was a common element. The rattlesnake might thus represent a person’s name or a significant date in Xochicalco’s lesser-understood calendar, which likely resembled the 260-day ritual cycle (tzolkin) shared across the region. Such interpretations remind us how everyday objects could encode personal or cosmic meanings.

In Mesoamerican cultures, metates symbolized more than utility: they embodied transformation (turning maize into sustenance), fertility, and the life cycle, often linked to maize goddesses like Chicomecoatl. Miniature versions were likely non-functional, serving as votive offerings, grave goods, or symbols of ritual power—perhaps evoking political authority or rebirth.  

Artistically, this metate exemplifies Epiclassic syncretism: the rattlesnake connects to broader serpent symbolism, including Quetzalcoatl (the feathered serpent deity of wind, learning, and renewal), while the glyphs demonstrate Xochicalco’s distinctive numeric style. It illustrates how artistic motifs and ideas traveled across regions during a time of migration and trade, blending Veracruz naturalism with central Mexican abstraction. As a small but eloquent artifact, it underscores the ritual importance of maize and serpents in Mesoamerican worldview.

– Material: Carved stone (likely volcanic or similar local material suitable for relief work).  

– Dimensions: Overall 17.5 × 13 × 3 cm (6 7/8 × 5 1/8 × 1 3/16 in.).  

– Decoration: The underside features a low-relief rattlesnake with detailed scales and coils, positioned above a numeric glyph (one bar for 5 + four dots for 1 each = 9), rendered in Xochicalco style. The top surface is plain and slightly concave, mimicking functional metates but on a miniature scale. No mano (grinding stone) accompanies it. The craftsmanship shows skilled carving, with smooth contours and symbolic precision.

The object was gifted to the Cleveland Museum of Art by John Wise in 1956. No earlier ownership history is publicly documented, which is common for many pre-Columbian artifacts acquired mid-20th century.