Colima Dogs and West Mexican Ceramics
Speaker: Dr. Lauren Kilroy-Ewbank
Dogs in Art
Dogs have been immortalized in art across the globe for thousands of years. Some of the most captivating examples in art history are Colima dogs from ancient West Mexico. This video examines these ancient ceramics, trying to piece together what they mean, how they functioned, and what they symbolized in Mesoamerica. Unfortunately, many of these figurines have been looted, making them difficult to understand.
Seated dog, Colima artist, 200 BCE–300 CE, ceramic, slip, Mexico, West Mexico, Colima. The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Video chapters
0:00 Dogs immortalized in art and Colima dogs in West Mexico
0:21 Colima dogs and Xolo dogs
0:54 Colima dog sculptures
1:26 Why are they in ceramics?
2:02 Placed in tombs
2:30 Looted objects
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Learn more about Mesoamerica.
