Architectural Model with Figures
Unknown Artist
200 BCE–500 CE
Medium
Greenstone
Dimensions
H. 5 5/8 × W. 4 1/8 × D. 1 in. (14.3 × 10.5 × 2.5 cm)
Classification
Stone-Sculpture
Culture
Mezcala
Department
Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Arthur M. Bullowa, 1993
Accession Number
1994.35.633
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Architectural Model with Figures*, crafted by an unknown Mezcala artist between 200 BCE and 500 CE, offers a rare glimpse into the sacred architecture of ancient Mesoamerica. Carved from smooth greenstone—a hard, precious material often prized for its jade-like green hue—the compact sculpture (just 5 5/8 inches tall) depicts a stylized temple structure adorned with diminutive human figures. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Department of Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas, it reflects the Mezcala culture of Guerrero, Mexico, known for such intricate stone carvin...