#formative period

[thatshowthingstarted]

Seated Stargazer, 500 BCE – 100 CE,

Late Formative Period, Mezcala, Guerrero state, Mexico,

Green Serpentine,

H: 5 1/2 in. W: 2 in. D: 3 3/4 in.

Courtesy: Throck Morton

[theancientwayoflife]

~ Kneeling lord with incised toad on his head.

Date: 900–500 B.C.

Culture: Olmec

Period: Formative

Place of origin: Mexico, Veracruz, Gulf Coast

Medium: Stone with red pigment

[philosophicalconservatism]

The most important period of life is not the age of university studies, but the first one, the period from birth to the age of six.

Maria Montessori  (1870-1952) Italian  educator and physician

Which means that the most important teacher is the parent.

[memoirsofanatom]

Pottery female figurine From the Pánuco Valley, Veracruz, Mexico Middle/Late Formative Period, 900 BC - AD 300 Small clay figurines are relatively common throughout Mesoamerica from the Formative period (c. 2400 BC - AD 300) to the sixteenth century. Female figurines dating to the Formative period have been found at sites such as Chupícuaro in West Mexico, Tlatilco in the Central Highlands and El Prisco and Pánuco in the northern Gulf Lowlands, to name a few. Most figurines found in archaeological excavations in Mesoamerica come from households or refuse areas, although they have occasionally been found in burials and caches. They are usually modelled by hand, with incised decoration used to outline features. The elongated torsos often contrast with the round lower part of the body. Like most of the figurines, this example appears in the nude with incised eyes, mouth, hair, navel and sexual attributes. The elongated head may indicate cranial deformation, a common practice in the Gulf Coast which later extended to the Central Highlands. The figurines are sometimes painted with mineral and vegetable pigments. Body ornaments such as earplugs, necklaces and bracelets, are rendered using an appliqué technique. The cultural chronology of the northern Gulf Lowlands is not yet well defined, but similar female figurines have been found at El Prisco that have been attributed to the Middle/Late Formative period.

[yearningforunity]

Site:  Border of El Salvador/GuatemalaDescription:  Young Lord, aka "Slim", mottled green serpentine figurine with traces of cinnabarCurrent Location:  private collectionArtifact:  jade, figurineChronological Era:  FormativeCulture:  OlmecObject Size:  65.5 h, 11 w, 5.4cm