Orange and Cream Bowl

ca. 900-1200

Characterized by contrasting colors of orange, cream, and brown, this Cerro Montoso–style bowl reflects the importance of fine pottery in Totonac culture. The artist built on previous ceramic techniques to create a light, thin-walled vessel. The stylized yet naturalistic images of lobsters and water birds, most likely herons, allude to the importance of marine resources for human sustenance on Mexico’s Gulf Coast. The delicately incised lines on the animals accentuate their eyes, heads, and bodies.