Abstracts Womens Studies

Figurine no. 9: An Example of Olmec Feminine Power at La Venta

by AnnaKelila Kayetana Klinghoffer

The small female jadeite “baby-face” Figurine no. 9 spent almost seventy years as a man in the eyes of the world after her in situ 1955 discovery at the ancient Olmec capital of La Venta in Tabasco, Mexico. Now understood to be female, a close examination reveals visual and physical cues that showcase Figurine no. 9’s advanced age, high status, and power. Rank and influence have traditionally been conferred to male Olmec representations. As part of the elite La Venta Offering no. 4, which contains sixteen figurines and six celts that are uniquely organized to display a culturally relevant event, the lack of scholarship focused solely on Figurine no. 9 is understandable. However, Figurine no. 9’s distinguishing traits, including her idealized “baby-face” traits that proclaim her association with the Olmec supernatural, distinctive body that marks her advanced age, physical positioning and entitled movement, and the presence of star-like motifs on her that suggest the presence of a mask, are strong indicators of her prominence, even within the offering. By identifying Figurine no. 9 as a powerful, influential, elderly female, this thesis contradicts early, and current, Western ideologies, and foments the reconsideration of interpretations concerning gender, age, and power.