{"title":"Mezcala","description":"\u003cp\u003eWorks from the ancient Mezcala culture of Guerrero, Mexico, renowned for their highly abstract stone figures and masks with geometric, architectural forms dating from approximately 300 BCE to 200 CE.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"mezcala-seated-stone-figure-700-200-bce","title":"Mezcala Seated Stone Figure – Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica, Circa 700–200 BCE","description":"\u003cp\u003eA Pre-Columbian Mezcala carved stone seated figure, dating approximately 700–200 BCE. This small yet expressive figure is carved from mottled stone and demonstrates the characteristic abstract and geometric forms of the Mezcala tradition — an ideal collectible for those interested in ancient Mesoamerican art. Its abstract geometric style and small, displayable size make it suitable for both home and gallery display.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Mezcala culture flourished in the Balsas River basin of present-day Guerrero, Mexico, producing some of the most strikingly abstract stone sculpture in the ancient Americas. Mezcala figures are renowned for their highly schematized, geometric reduction of the human form — faces rendered with minimal incised lines, bodies flattened and symmetrical, limbs suggested rather than fully articulated. This reductive aesthetic has drawn comparisons to 20th-century modernist sculpture and has made Mezcala works particularly prized by collectors and institutions alike. Figures of this type were likely used in ritual or funerary contexts.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eDetails\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eCulture: Mezcala, Guerrero, Mexico\u003cbr\u003ePeriod: Circa 700–200 BCE\u003cbr\u003eMaterial: Mottled stone\u003cbr\u003eFigure dimensions: 3¼ × 1⅛ × 1⅞ in (8.3 × 2.9 × 4.8 cm)\u003cbr\u003eDisplay stand: Modern metal stand, 1½ × 1½ × 2 in (3.8 × 3.8 × 5.1 cm, included)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eProvenance\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003ePurchased from Antiques of the Old and New World, Santa Fe, NM, 1996 (receipt available).\u003cbr\u003eFormerly in the DC Forbes Collection.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eCondition\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eSurface dirt and accretion; wear commensurate with age. Abrasions at points of contact with stand. Overall very good for a small carved stone figure of this age.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Pre-Columbian","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53228194169199,"sku":null,"price":1200.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0984\/6967\/5375\/files\/s-l1600-143.png?v=1784585454"},{"product_id":"mezcala-greenstone-amorphous-figure-600-200-bce","title":"Mezcala Greenstone Amorphous Anthropomorphic Figure – Guerrero, Mexico, Circa 600–200 BCE","description":"\u003cp\u003eA Pre-Columbian Mezcala greenstone anthropomorphic figure from the Guerrero region of southern Mexico, dating approximately 600–200 BCE. Minimalistic and highly abstracted, the figure is formed via string-cut notches and grooves to indicate the legs and head — a technique emblematic of the Mezcala lapidary tradition and its radical reduction of the human form to its essential geometry.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Mezcala culture of Guerrero produced some of the most strikingly abstract stone sculpture in the ancient Americas. Their figures, carved from hard stones including greenstone, serpentine, and granite, are characterized by schematized forms, incised facial features, and a modernist sensibility that has long attracted collectors and institutions alike. Works of this type were likely used in ritual or funerary contexts.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eDetails\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eCulture: Mezcala, Guerrero, Southern Mexico\u003cbr\u003ePeriod: Circa 600–200 BCE\u003cbr\u003eMaterial: Greenstone\u003cbr\u003eFigure dimensions: 2¼ in L × 1 in W × 5 in H\u003cbr\u003eWith custom stand: 5¼ in H (stand included)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eProvenance\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003ePrivate Hawaii, USA collection.\u003cbr\u003eEx-private San Francisco, California, USA collection; acquired before 2000.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Pre-Columbian","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53228207898991,"sku":null,"price":550.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0984\/6967\/5375\/files\/s-l1600-148.png?v=1784585652"},{"product_id":"mezcala-carved-stone-fetish-figure-bearded-700-200-bce","title":"Mezcala Carved Stone Fetish Figure with Bearded Face – Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica, Circa 700–200 BCE","description":"\u003cp\u003eA Pre-Columbian Mezcala carved stone fetish figure, dating approximately 700–200 BCE. Carved from stone, the figure features a stylized bearded face and elongated geometric proportions characteristic of the Mezcala tradition — a striking and highly collectible example of ancient Mesoamerican lapidary art.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Mezcala culture of Guerrero, Mexico, is celebrated for its radical abstraction of the human form. Figures such as this were carved using string-cutting and abrasion techniques, resulting in the clean geometric planes and schematized features that define the tradition. The rare depiction of a bearded face adds iconographic interest, as facial hair is an uncommon detail in Mezcala figural sculpture. Works from the DC Forbes Collection are well-documented and consistently sought after by serious collectors.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eDetails\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eCulture: Mezcala, Guerrero, Mexico\u003cbr\u003ePeriod: Circa 700–200 BCE\u003cbr\u003eMaterial: Stone\u003cbr\u003eFigure dimensions: 5¼ × 1⅝ × 1⅝ in (13.3 × 4.1 × 4.1 cm)\u003cbr\u003eDisplay stand: Brass wire stand, 1⅞ × 2⅛ × 3⅜ in (4.8 × 5.4 × 8.6 cm, included)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eProvenance\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eFormerly in the DC Forbes Collection.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eCondition\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eSeveral old chips and pitting. Surface dirt and age-related wear consistent with Mezcala stone carvings. Overall structurally sound; form and expression well preserved.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Pre-Columbian","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53228217139567,"sku":null,"price":1000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0984\/6967\/5375\/files\/s-l1600-151.png?v=1784585798"},{"product_id":"mezcala-bearded-figural-bead-red-black-stone-700-200-bce","title":"Mezcala Bearded Figural Bead – Red \u0026 Black Stone, Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica, Circa 700–200 BCE","description":"\u003cp\u003eA Pre-Columbian Mezcala carved figural bead, dating approximately 700–200 BCE. Carved from striking red and black stone, this small figure features a stylized bearded face and exhibits the Mezcala tradition’s characteristic abstract aesthetic. An ideal piece for collectors of Pre-Columbian Mezcala objects or those seeking a unique small-scale carved figure for display.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFigural beads of this type represent a refined subset of Mezcala lapidary production, requiring considerable skill to execute at small scale while maintaining the geometric clarity and expressive economy that define the tradition. The use of polychrome stone — here red and black — adds visual richness and rarity to the piece. Ex-DC Forbes Collection works carry strong collecting pedigree and are consistently well-regarded in the market.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eDetails\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eCulture: Mezcala, Guerrero, Mexico\u003cbr\u003ePeriod: Circa 700–200 BCE\u003cbr\u003eMaterial: Red and black stone\u003cbr\u003eBead dimensions: 2⅞ × 1¼ × 1⅝ in (7.3 × 3.2 × 4.1 cm)\u003cbr\u003eDisplay stand: Plexiglass stand, 3½ × 3⅛ × 3⅛ in (8.9 × 7.9 × 7.9 cm, included)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eProvenance\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eFormerly in the DC Forbes Collection.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eCondition\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eSeveral old chips and pitting consistent with age. Surface wear and light abrasions typical of Mezcala stone carvings. Preserved form and overall aesthetic intact.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Pre-Columbian","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53228227428719,"sku":null,"price":1000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0984\/6967\/5375\/files\/s-l1600-155.png?v=1784585915"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.lybrothersfineart.com\/collections\/mezcala.oembed","provider":"L\/Y Brothers","version":"1.0","type":"link"}