Pre-Columbian Olmec Serpentine head fragment 600 – 900 CEHeight: 4

600 – 900 CEHeight: 4 3/8 in (11

Central Coast of Peru

circa 664–332 BCE

retaining attractive traces of original polychromy including red-brown flesh tones

the earliest major civilization of Mesoamerica

Pre-Columbian Olmec Serpentine head fragment 600 – 900 CEHeight: 4Pre Columbian Olmec Serpentine Head Fragment Mexico Middle Formative Period, ca. 1200400 BCE A finely carved serpentine head fragment originating from the Olmec culture, the earliest major civilization of Mesoamerica. The piece, once part of a larger sculptural figure, presents a refined and compact visage with characteristic Olmec features: almond shaped eyes, a broad, softly modeled nose, and full lips rendered with subtle naturalism. The cranial