The International Encyclopedia of Human Sexuality, First Edition. Edited by Patricia Whelehan and Anne Bolin. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Published 2015 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Figurines: Mesoamerica RHONDA TAUBE Riverside City College, Riverside, CA, United States F One of the most prevalent forms of Mesoamerican art is the ceramic figurine, molded or hand mod- eled in clay, including images of humans, super- naturals, and animals. These form a central corpus of ancient Mesoamerican archaeological materials and are, in many cases, the most numer- ous of all human-shaped objects known from the region. Found in burials, domestic contexts, and even used as fill in construction projects, they appear in virtually every culture and time period of Mesoamerican history. Because they were so ever-present and found primarily in household environments, they inform us about a wide array of quotidian human activities and everyday beliefs. Especially important is their capacity to inform us about ancient notions of sexuality, not only because of their widespread distribution but also due to the variety of images they represent, particularly the recurring and distinct emphasis on female figurines and their secondary sexual characteristics. Figurines represent local belief systems regarding sexuality and stand for a gendered social order, as they are found in society and, therefore, society is indicated through them. Although abundant at archaeological sites, we do not know exactly what straightforward or utili- tarian purpose they held for people in ancient and colonial societies. Nonetheless, we may infer a number of latent meanings by exploring their manufacture, context, distribution, and unique attributes. The rich variety of types and figures, through hairstyles, headdresses, costumes, objects wielded, and posture, express the esthetic values of a given culture, and archaeologists often employ figurines to understand not only elite culture but also domestic or household and “commoner” concerns. Millian (1981) provides a convincing argument that connects many post- classical Aztec figurines to a general earth fertil- ity complex that was present in all sectors of Aztec society. Although this may not seem related to human sexuality, a nuanced reading of this concern with the earth and fertility— or reproduction—provides insight into ancient Mesoamerican sexual beliefs and practices. Defining Mesoamerican sexuality For ancient Mesoamerican people, the Euro- American concept of sexual normativity did not exist. Pete Sigal (2011: 11–12) argues that pre- Hispanic Aztec sexuality and sexual behavior functioned within a larger set of productive ritu- als that relate to a broad concept of fertility. For 156.indd 1 9/20/2014 7:06:24 AM