Pre-Classical Period, 12th-2nd century BC. A jade statuette of a kneeling naked male figure with an unnaturally elongated bald head, around his forehead he wears a sash used to carry a pumpkin on his back. See Instituto Geologico de M?xico, Catalogo Geográfico de las especies minerales de M?xico, Boletin 41, M?xico, 1923; Mirambell, L.E., Tecnicas Lapidarias Prehispanica, M?xico, 1968; Wise, T., The Conquistadores, London, 1980; Ward, F., Jade Gem, Boock Publishers, EUA, 1996; Ridinger, M.L., ‘El Jade’ in Arqueologia Mexicana vol. V, No 27 Septiembre-Octubre, pp.52-59, M?xico, 1997; Mirambell, L.E., Materiales Arqueologicos y material prima’, in Serie Arqueologia INAH, M?xico, 2005; Langenscheidt, A., ‘Los Abrasivos en Mesoam?rica’, Arqueologia Mexicana vol. XIV, No 80 Julio-Agosto, M?xico, 2006, pp.55-60.731 grams, 14.5cm (5 3/4"). Property of an Italian collector living in Torino; part of her family's collection since 1965; by descent from her grandmother in 1993; accompanied by a copy of the Italian export permit and a signed academic report by Emilio J. Bejarano Erosa (Director of the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia, Mexico, 1968-1982); also accompanied by a scholarly note TL5342 by Dr Ronald Bonewitz; this lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by AIAD certificate number no.10284-168433. Made with jade 'bark', which produces various shades of green. These small anthropomorphic figures are representations of the Olmec jaguar god. Several examples have been found as burial deposits in the Venta, where one tomb contained an offering of fifteen anthropomorphic figures in an upright position, and six jade plaques of different shades.