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Mask, c. 900-300 BCE, 6 7/8 x 5 9/16 x 3 1/4 in. (17.46 x 14.13 x 8.26 cm), Jadeite, cinnabar, Mexico, 9th-3rd century BCE, This mask was created about 3000 years ago, perhaps as a portrait of a leader among the Olmec people of Mesoamerica (present-day southern Mexico). It was likely reserved for ceremonial use. An artist sculpted it from jadeite, then carved lines and highlighted them with a red mineral powder of mercury sulfide (cinnabar). These lines may replicate face paint or tattooing. The rare materials and symbolic designs, like the supernatural human-jaguar whose face hovers above the right eye, reflect the ruler's religious and political power.

Mask, c. 900-300 BCE, 6 7/8 x 5 9/16 x 3 1/4 in. (17.46 x 14.13 x 8.26 cm), Jadeite, cinnabar, Mexico, 9th-3rd century BCE, This mask was created about 3000 years ago, perhaps as a portrait of a leader among the Olmec people of Mesoamerica (present-day southern Mexico). It was likely reserved for ceremonial use. An artist sculpted it from jadeite, then carved lines and highlighted them with a red mineral powder of mercury sulfide (cinnabar). These lines may replicate face paint or tattooing. The rare materials and symbolic designs, like the supernatural human-jaguar whose face hovers above the right eye, reflect the ruler's religious and political power.
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Caption: Mask, c. 900-300 BCE, 6 7/8 x 5 9/16 x 3 1/4 in. (17.46 x 14.13 x 8.26 cm), Jadeite, cinnabar, Mexico, 9th-3rd century BCE, This mask was created about 3000 years ago, perhaps as a portrait of a leader among the Olmec people of Mesoamerica (present-day southern Mexico). It was likely reserved for ceremonial use. An artist sculpted it from jadeite, then carved lines and highlighted them with a red mineral powder of mercury sulfide (cinnabar). These lines may replicate face paint or tattooing. The rare materials and symbolic designs, like the supernatural human-jaguar whose face hovers above the right eye, reflect the ruler's religious and political power.
Credit: Album / quintlox
Releases: ? Model Release: No - ? Property Release: No
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Image size: 4570 × 4567 px | 59.7 MB
Print size: 38.7 × 38.7 cm | 1799.2 × 1798.0 in (300 dpi)
Keywords: 3000 YEARS AGO • 900-300 BCE • 9TH-3RD CENTURY BCE • ARTIST SCULPTED • CARVED LINES • CEREMONIAL • CINNABAR • CREATED • FACE HOVERS • HIGHLIGHTED • JADÉITE • LEADER • LEADING • LINES • MASCARA • MASK • MERCURY SULFIDE • MESOAMERICA • MESOAMERICAN • MEXICO • OLMEC PEOPLE • PERHAPS • POLITICAL POWER • PORTAIT • PORTRAIT • POTRAIT • PRESENT-DAY SOUTHERN MEXICO • RARE MATERIALS • RED MINERAL POWDER • REFLECT • REPLICATE FACE PAINT • RESERVED • RIGHT EYE • RINGLEADER • RULER'S RELIGIOUS • SUPERNATURAL HUMAN-JAGUAR • SYMBOLIC DESIGNS • TATTOOING