COLLECTION NAME:
The AMICA Library
mediaCollectionId
AMICO~1~1
The AMICA Library
Collection
true
AMICA ID:
MMA_.1994.380
amicoid
MMA_.1994.380
AMICA ID
false
AMICA Library Year:
2002
aly
2002
AMICA Library Year
false
Object Type:
Costume and Jewelry
oty
Costume and Jewelry
Object Type
false
Description:
This small, carved greenstone sculpture possesses both human and animal attributes, suggesting that it is a transformation figure. While maintaining an overall semblance of human anatomy, the figure's greatly enlarged head combines human and avian features, with bulging birdlike eyes separated by a plume extending up past the forehead, human ears, a human nose topping a hooked beak, and a small beard on the chin. Some scholars interpret this object as a depiction of a man wearing an animal mask. Others, through the use of ethnographic analogy, have suggested that such figures are representations of a shaman's transfiguration into his nahual, or powerful animal counterpart. It is believed that, in this altered state , a shaman is able to interact with the spirit world and use his abilities to heal, punish, or predict the future. Although interpretations of this object may vary, the incorporation of animal attributes into the human figure strongly suggests that the Olmec held the animals in their environment in special regard and perhaps sought to harness the power of these creatures for personal use.
opd
This small, carved greenstone sculpture possesses both human and animal attributes, suggesting that it is a transformation figure. While maintaining an overall semblance of human anatomy, the figure's greatly enlarged head combines human and avian features, with bulging birdlike eyes separated by a plume extending up past the forehead, human ears, a human nose topping a hooked beak, and a small beard on the chin. Some scholars interpret this object as a depiction of a man wearing an animal mask. Others, through the use of ethnographic analogy, have suggested that such figures are representations of a shaman's transfiguration into his nahual, or powerful animal counterpart. It is believed that, in this altered state , a shaman is able to interact with the spirit world and use his abilities to heal, punish, or predict the future. Although interpretations of this object may vary, the incorporation of animal attributes into the human figure strongly suggests that the Olmec held the animals in their environment in special regard and perhaps sought to harness the power of these creatures for personal use.
Description
false
Creator Nationality:
North American; Central American; Mesoamerican; Olmec
crc
North American; Central American; Mesoamerican; Olmec
Creator Nationality
false
Creator Name-CRT:
Olmec
crt
Olmec
Creator Name-CRT
false
Title:
Eagle Transformation Figure
otn
Eagle Transformation Figure
Title
false
View:
Principal view
rid
Principal view
View
false
Creation Date:
10th?6th century B.C.
oct
10th?6th century B.C.
Creation Date
false
Creation Start Date:
0
ocs
0
Creation Start Date
false
Creation End Date:
0
oce
0
Creation End Date
false
Materials and Techniques:
Jade (albite), cinnabar
omd
Jade (albite), cinnabar
Materials and Techniques
false
Creation Place:
Mexico
ocp
Mexico
Creation Place
false
Dimensions:
H. 4 1/2 in. (11.4 cm)
met
H. 4 1/2 in. (11.4 cm)
Dimensions
false
AMICA Contributor:
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
oon
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
AMICA Contributor
false
Owner Location:
New York, New York
oop
New York, New York
Owner Location
false
ID Number:
1994.380
ooa
1994.380
ID Number
false
Credit Line:
Rogers Fund, 1994
ooc
Rogers Fund, 1994
Credit Line
false
Copyright:
Copyright ? 2002 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. All rights reserved.
ors
Copyright ? 2002 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. All rights reserved.
Copyright
false
Rights:
orl
<a href="http://www.metmuseum.org/education/er_photo_lib.asp"target="_new">http://www.metmuseum.org/education/er_photo_lib.asp</a>
Rights
false
Related Image Identifier Link:
MMA_.h1_1994.380.tif
ril
MMA_.h1_1994.380.tif
Related Image Identifier Link
false