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patrickkapty.bsky.social
Seated figure
terracotta, pigment
c. 200-400 CE
Zapotec culture
Oaxaca, Mexico

#handmade #ceramic #terracotta #pigment #sculpture #zapotecculture #oaxaca #mexico #mesoamerica #funeraryfigure #funeral #tomb #afterlife #death #religion #precolumbian #prehispanic #ancientart #ancientsculpture #art
May 18, 2026 at 6:00 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
The Acrobat of Colima Vessel
terracotta
c. 200 BCE to 300 CE
Colima culture
Western Mexico, Colima

#handmade #terracotta #vessel #AcrobatofColima #Colima #culture #precolumbian #mesoamerican #pottery #precolumbianpottery #acrobat #art #ancientart #sculpture #shafttombtradition #burial #afterlife
Dating to c. 200 BC-AD 300, this remarkable ceramic vessel from Colima, western Mexico, takes the form of a male acrobat performing an extraordinary contortion. Rather than simply decorating the vessel with a human figure, the ancient artist transformed the acrobat's body into the vessel itself, with his inverted head resting below his torso and his legs dramatically curved above him. The sculpture captures a fleeting display of flexibility, balance and physical skill in permanent clay and reflects the lively interest in the human body characteristic of the ceramic traditions of ancient West Mexico. The vessel is today held in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, as part of the Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection. The pre-Columbian Colima culture was an ancient Mesoamerican society that thrived in western Mexico (primarily in the modern state of Colima, as well as parts of Jalisco and Michoacán) from roughly 300 BCE to 600 CE, and is famous for its rich Western Mexico shaft tomb tradition. The people lived in small agricultural villages and regional chiefdoms rather than massive imperial centers. They farmed maize, beans, squash, and chili peppers in fertile volcanic valleys. Unlike central Mexican groups, they built modest structures on platforms using river boulders and wattle-and-daub, though regional centers like La Campana featured larger ceremonial mounds. Colima culture is globally celebrated for its burnished, reddish-brown terracotta pottery. Artisans crafted hollow ceramic figurines with expressive, clean lines and dynamic forms.
October 4, 2026 at 3:27 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Warrior Face
terracotta, pigment
c. 1200-1600 CE
Muisca culture
Colombia

#handmade #terracotta #pigment #warrior #face #head #Muisca #culture #Colombia #precolumbian #prehispanice #art #ancientart #sculpture #precolumbiansculpture #religion #ritual #precolumbianColombia #indigenousColombia #ceramic
A Muisca ceramic head originating from present-day Colombia, dating between A.D. 1200 and 1600. Crafted by the indigenous Muisca culture of the central Colombian highlands. Made of clay and paint, it features distinct slit eyes, a slit mouth, a sharp nose, and an ornately decorated headdress or crown. This artifact was not an isolated mask; it was originally part of a larger ceramic figure that stood roughly three-and-a-half feet tall. It depicts a high-ranking individual, likely a warrior or chieftain. The Muisca Civilization was an advanced indigenous pre-Columbian culture that flourished in the Altiplano Cundiboyacense of the Eastern Ranges of the Andes in central Colombia from roughly 600 to 1600 CE. Spanned about 25,000 square kilometers in the heart of modern-day Colombia, including present-day Bogotá (which they called Bacatá). Formed a loose confederation of sovereign polities rather than a centralized empire, led by rulers such as the zipa, zaque, and iraca. Built circular, communal houses called bohios using wood, clay, and thatched straw rather than massive stone monuments. Cultivated staples adapted to high altitudes, including corn, potatoes, and quinoa. Rich in natural resources like coal, copper, emeralds, gold, and massive salt deposits. Used blocks of salt, coal, and emeralds as a form of currency for an active barter system with neighboring groups. Practiced polytheistic worship centered on nature deities, including Sué (the Sun) and Chía (the Moon). Celebrated a ritual at Lake Guatavita where a leader covered in gold dust cleansed himself in the water, inspiring the European legend of El Dorado. Created intricate votive figurines called tunjos from gold and tumbaga (a gold-copper alloy) using advanced lost-wax casting techniques. Spoke Muysccubun, a Chibchan language that was suppressed and banned during the colonial era but leaves a lasting legacy in modern Colombian place names. Currently housed at the National Museum of the American Indian.
October 2, 2026 at 12:21 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Ceramic warrior figure
terracotta, pigments
c. 300 BCE - 200 CE
Jalisco, Mexico

#handmade #sculpture #art #ancientart #precolumbian #prehispanic #precolumbiansculpture #mesoamerica #mexico #jaliscoculture #Ameca-Etzatlán #terracotta #pigments #warrior #tombguardian #afterlife #religion #shafttomb
This object is a Pre-Columbian ceramic warrior figure from the Jalisco culture of West Mexico, dating roughly between 300 BC and 250 AD. The sculpture is crafted in the Ameca-Etzatlán style, featuring a burnished surface and traces of polychrome pigment. It depicts a warrior in a protective or defensive stance, wearing a cone-shaped helmet and holding a club across its body. These figures were typically placed in shaft tombs as guardians of the dead in the afterlife.
July 13, 2026 at 12:59 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Incense burner
terracotta, pigments
c. 700-1000 CE
Late Classic to early Post Classic
Maya
Guatemala

#handmade #art #ancientart #ancientpottery #chac #godofrain #Mayaculture #religion #belief #ritual #precolumbian #prehispanic #mesoamerica #guatemala #terracotta #incenseburner #sculpture #maya
This two-part incense burner combines, on its body, the face of the god Chac and, on its lid, the figure of a priest wearing the deity's mask, establishing a direct connection between the god and the officiant. Chac, the Maya god of rain and atmospheric phenomena, occupied a central place within the Maya pantheon, closely associated with the fertility of the land and the agricultural cycle. In ritual practice, priests could wear the attributes or mask of a deity in order to embody its presence during ceremonies. The incense burner was used for burning resins, particularly copal, whose smoke accompanied invocations and facilitated communication with the divine realm. The work is distinguished by the monumental scale of its composition and the richness of its decoration, where the superimposition of figures reflects a structured conception of ritual and of the relationship between humanity and the gods.
June 25, 2026 at 3:40 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Jaguar-Serpent vessel
polychrome terracotta
c. 500 BCE to 500 CE
Jama-Coaque culture
Ecuador

#handmade #polychrome #terracotta #vessel #JamaCoaque #preColumbianArt
#AncientEcuador #hybriddeity
#jaguarsymbolism #jaguarsnake #snake #jaguar #ancientart #art #ancientpottery #precolumbian #prehispanic
Jama-Coaque, the name originally given to the prehistoric culture occupying northern Manabí Province, Ecuador, during the Regional-Developmental period, (500 bce–ce 500). More recent research has established that the Jama-Coaque tradition represents four phases of occupation beginning around 550 bce and continuing until the Spanish conquest in 1531. Vessel depicting a hybrid deity combining the traits of a jaguar and a serpent with a forked tongue. Polychrome terracotta; minor probable restoration not exceeding approximately 5-10% of the total mass of the work; marks of age. Jama-Coaque, Ecuador, 500 BC-AD 500. 18 × 23 × 32.5 cm In Jama-Coaque culture, hybrid representations occupy a central place, expressing the fusion of animal forces invested with symbolic power. The association of the jaguar and the serpent-two major figures of Pre-Columbian imagery-refers to a complex entity embodying both terrestrial strength and chthonic power. The open mouth, exposed fangs, and forked tongue emphasize the striking character of the figure, while the clawed limbs and elaborate headdress reinforce its supernatural nature. Through the richness of its modeling and the tension of its forms, the work conveys a remarkable presence, characteristic of the finest creations of this artistic tradition.
June 20, 2026 at 4:44 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Standing Figure
terracotta, pigment
c. 200 BCE to 600 CE
Colima culture
Colombia

#handmade #pottery #ancientpottery #terracotta #pigment #standingfigure #ColimaCulture #Colombia #sculpture #prehispanic #precolumbian #precolumbiansculpture #ancientsculpture #ritual #offering #ancientart #art #male
August 10, 2026 at 7:56 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Seated Totonac Priestess/Goddess
terracotta, pigment
c. 600-900 CE
Totonac culture
Veracruz, Mexico

#handmade #terracotta #clay #pigment #bitumen #chapopote #seatedfigure #woman #priestess #goddess #shaman #transformation #precolumbian #sculpture #art #totonac #veracruz #mexico #ancientart #art
A classic Mesoamerican Totonac ceramic seated figure, widely identified as a Seated Priestess or Goddess from the Classic Veracruz culture of Mexico (dating approximately to 600–900 CE). The sculpture features a female figure sitting cross-legged, adorned with a detailed textured headdress or turban, ear spools, bracelets, and a prominent ceremonial object or apron resting across her lap. Crafted from terracotta clay with characteristic dark bitumen (chapopote) accents, a signature design element commonly used by Gulf Coast artisans to outline facial features and garments. Figures of this type typically represent elite members of society, high-status ritual specialists (shamans), or deities associated with fertility and the underworld.
August 17, 2026 at 1:10 PM
thedigodragon.bsky.social
Another problem of being a ten-foot tall giraffe woman-- You will barely fit in any apartment you rent. Poor Terra needs one of those modern houses with vaulted ceilings, but she is not rich and has to make do with her little studio apartment.

#Terracotta #Giraffe #Anthro #tall #minigiantess
Terracotta is a 10-foot tall anthro giraffe woman with beautiful violet-purple hair and tail fluff. In the first frame, she sits on her bed, but her legs hang off the foot of the bed and touch the floor. In the second image, she stretches her legs out and can touch the opposite wall.
April 11, 2026 at 2:36 PM
mollygagne11-63.bsky.social
Hello=)Patron et protecteur de la Perle de l'Adriatique💙 depuis 971, LA Majestueuse Dubrovnik❤️-💙Bill💙Elle est pour toi et bien sûr Bluesky=)
#Photography #Photographie #StBasile #Dubrovnik #PearlOfTheAdriatic #AdriaticSea #OldDubrovnik #TerraCotta
#Photo #Dome #PhotographersOfBluesky #Architecture
Saint patron de Dubrovnik (ancienne Raguse) est saint Blaise (connu localement sous le nom de Sveti Vlaho). Il est le protecteur de la ville depuis le X^e siècle, célèbre pour l'avoir prétendument sauvée d'une attaque ennemie. En 971, saint Blaise serait apparu en rêve à un prêtre pour l'avertir d'une attaque imminente des Vénitiens. L'alerte a permis aux habitants de préparer les défenses de la cité et de repousser les assaillants...Beautés architecturales!! Époustouflant!
August 5, 2026 at 7:50 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Seated crowned female figure
terracotta, pigment
c. 450-750 CE
Veracruz culture
Mexico

#handmade #terracotta #ancientart #ancientsculpture #veracruzculture #mexico #art #sculpture #veracruzart #classic #seatedwoman #crown #precolumbian #prehispanic #mesoamerica #ancientmexico #precolumbiansculpture
In the Veracruz region, on the Gulf Coast of Mexico, ceramic productions of the Classic period are distinguished by the quality of their modeling and the richness of their human representations. Adorned female figures, identifiable by their elaborate ornaments and headdresses, are generally associated with individuals of high status. The cross-legged seated posture, stable and composed, gives the figure a timeless presence. The careful attention devoted to the details of the jewelry and the surface treatment of the slip highlights the skill of the workshops, serving a controlled and hieratic representation.
July 3, 2026 at 8:36 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Standing Female Figure
terracotta, pigments
c. 300 BCE - 300 CE
Nayarit culture
Western Mexico

#handmade #art #sculpture #ancientart #ancientsculpture #terracotta #standingfigure #woman #NayaritCulture #Mexico #Mesoamerica #precolumbian #prehispanic #shafttomb #bodypaint #predcolumbianart #offering
August 20, 2026 at 2:37 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Bicephalic Female Figure
terracotta, pigments
c. 1200-900 BCE
Tlatilco culture
Valley of Mexico

In pre Columbian religion people with deformities were revered as special to the gods!

#handmade #pottery #sculpture #bicephalic #female #terracotta #tlatilco #precolumbian #art #prehispanic #religion
This hand-modeled terracotta figurine is a pre-Columbian ceramic artifact originating from the Tlatilco culture in the Valley of Mexico. The figure dates to the Early Formative or Preclassic period, approximately 1200–900 BCE. The two-headed "pretty lady" design is thought to embody duality, cosmic balance, or liminal, supernatural states, and they were often found in burials. The piece is constructed from hand-molded clay, decorated with red pigment and incised details to depict hairstyles and facial features. Bicephalic (two-headed) figures are rare compared to single-headed figurines, indicating they held specific ceremonial or symbolic importance. The Valley of Mexico (or Basin of Mexico) is a high-altitude natural basin in central Mexico enclosed by mountains and volcanoes. Sitting at an average elevation of about 2,240 meters (7,350 feet), it was historically a region of interconnected lakes. Today, it is nearly entirely occupied by the sprawling metropolitan area of Mexico City. The valley is a closed basin, meaning it has no natural river outlets to the sea. It features a unique, flat lacustrine plain surrounded by the peaks of the Cordillera Neo-Volcánica, including the famous Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl volcanoes. Because the original five interconnected lakes (including Lake Texcoco) were largely drained beginning in the 17th century to prevent flooding and make room for urban sprawl, the area now sits on mostly clay soils.
July 12, 2026 at 11:49 AM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Shark Dancer Whistle
terracotta, pigment
c. 600-900 CE
Colima region
Western Mexico

The shark is a whistle.

#handmade #sharkdancer #whistle #dance #ritual #terracotta #pigment #colimaregion #westernmexico #precolumbian #prehispanic #ancientart #art #sculpture #mesoamerica #precolumbianart #craft
July 30, 2026 at 1:41 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Two-headed Pretty Lady
terracotta, pigments
Pre-Classic period c. 550-100 BCE
Chupicuaro culture
Michoacan, Mexico

#handmade #terracotta #pigment #twoheaded #prettylady #preclassic #chupicuaro #guanajuato #michoacan #mexico #lifeanddeath #duality #precolumbian #prehispanic #ancientart #art #figure
Chupícuaro two-headed figures are rare Mesoamerican ceramic artifacts from the Preclassic period (roughly 500–100 BCE) originating in modern-day Guanajuato, Mexico. These hand-modeled clay figures depict a single stylized, typically female, body with two distinct heads sharing a single torso. Chupícuaro figures are highly prized for their surreal features, particularly their distinct "coffee-bean" shaped eyes, oversized heads, and geometric, red-and-cream body paint or tattoo patterns. Two-headed or double-faced figures are believed to symbolize the concept of duality—such as life and death, earth and sky, or the supernatural realm. It reflects a fundamental Mesoamerican worldview that balanced interactions between opposing forces gave rise to the universe. These figures were frequently used as grave offerings. They are closely tied to the themes of fertility, regeneration, and the cycle of life.
July 20, 2026 at 1:51 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Warrior figure
terracotta, pigment
c. 120-250 CE
Nayarit culture
Western Mexico

#handmade #terracotta #pigment #sculpture #warrior #bicorn #armor #figure #sculpture #art #nayarit #nayaritculture #nayaritart #nayaritsculpture #burial #shafttomb #precolumbianart #prehispanic #mexico #mesoamerica
Warrior figure terracotta, pigment c. 120-250 CE Nayarit culture Western Mexico In the cultures of Western Mexico, representations of warriors reflect the importance of conflict and the prestige attached to military status. Armed figures, often equipped with clubs or impact weapons, embody an elite responsible for the defense and affirmation of the community. The body paint visible on the face refers to ritual preparations preceding combat, serving both to express identity and to signify the warrior's rank. The stylized treatment of the body, combined with a stable frontal posture on a tripod support, gives the figure a commanding presence and a strong formal clarity.
July 8, 2026 at 12:51 PM
thedigodragon.bsky.social
Just a little comparison math from Macro March. Terra already has issues being ten feet tall, so if she were accurately sized with real giraffes... well we'd have a lot of damages ceilings.

#Terracotta, #growth, #giraffe, #minigiantess, #clothesripping, #sizedifference
Terracotta, a ten-foot tall giraffe anthro, is as tall as the ceiling of the house she's standing inside. She suddenly grows to the height of a real giraffe, smashing up through the ceiling at a neigh height of eighteen feet tall.
April 25, 2025 at 11:43 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Quizzical mask
terracotta, pigments
c. 500 BCE to 500 CE
Bahia culture
Ecuador

#handmade #ancientart #art #terracotta #pigments #mask #quizzicalexpression #BahiaCulture #Ecuador #precolumbian #prehispanic #sculptural #sculpted #humanform #face #culture #ritual #religion #belief #fertility #victory
Mask with strong facial features. Beige and coffee-red terracotta Bahía, Ecuador, 500 BC – 500 AD. 16 x 19 cm Provenance: Sens Enchères auction, Sens, January 22, 2005, lot no. 131. The Bahía culture, which flourished on the Ecuadorian coast, is distinguished by its expressive ceramic production, featuring faces with bold, well-defined features. This mask reflects a particular focus on identity and the human form. The strong modeling of the face—with its clean, balanced volumes—gives the piece a powerful sculptural presence characteristic of this culture's output. The Bahía culture (500 BCE–500 CE) was a pre-Columbian culture in Ecuador. Bahía culture originated in what is now the Manabí Province on the Pacific Coast, and spread to Bahía de Caráquez and to the Andean foothills. Their ceramic tradition is one of the first found north of the Andes. Chirije, a seaport, was a major Bahía archaeological site discovered by Emilio Estrada in the 1950s. Merchants traded finished goods and Spondylus princeps or red spiny oyster shells south to Chile and north as far as Mexico in exchange for precious materials such as copper and gold.
June 24, 2026 at 3:45 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Standing Warrior Figure
terracotta, pigments
c. 200 BCE to 400 CE
Jalisco culture
Jalisco, Mexico

#handmade #terracotta #pigments #standingwarrior #sculpture #ancientart #art #ancientsculpture #precolumbian #prehispanic #jaliscoculture #jalisco #mexico #mesoamerica #shafttomb #offering #afterlife
Jalisco's ancient history centers on the vibrant Teuchitlán tradition, a major pre-Columbian society that built unique circular architecture. The Guachimontones site features cone-shaped pyramids surrounded by circular plazas. Builders arranged platforms in rings to reflect their religious views and calendar. Society grew near the Tequila volcano around 300 BCE because the soil was rich. People dug deep vertical shafts with side chambers for elite family burials. Artists placed detailed clay figurines and food vessels inside the tombs to honor the dead.
August 27, 2026 at 5:43 PM
artdecodude.bsky.social
Gramercy House in #NewYorkCity . #ArtDeco #TerraCotta 📸:me/10/2023
March 23, 2025 at 6:13 AM
phyllida.bsky.social
🏺 #AncientBlueSky #Terracotta figurine, 2nd c. BC, Sicily. Her graceful twists & turns, the swirl of her skirts—I can almost hear the music of the dance & feel its beat. My 📸s. Legion of Honor Mus. SF @lightacandle.bsky.social @linda2.bsky.social @robinburcell.bsky.social @riprap007.bsky.social
December 5, 2024 at 8:32 AM
themindofaleaf.bsky.social
So, unfortunately, I didn't weld the fancy handles on good enough, and they fell off during the firing 😢. (Some other issues as well)
Lesson learned, lol.

But the others survived 😁(pic 2).

#pottery #ceramics #wildclay #terracotta #art #artist #potteryproblems #earthenware
May 28, 2025 at 6:36 PM
ianriddler.bsky.social
Terra Cotta Twilight

My favourite thing about this sky that's going completely bonkers is the cool cross-hatch patterns at the top. Distracting me from all the colourful pretty!

-
#Twizel, #NewZealand

"Look with your eyes. See with your Soul."

#Sunset #TerraCotta #PureNZ #Scape #Landscape #Epic
June 15, 2026 at 2:33 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Descending (Diving) God aka Ah Muzen Cab
terracotta, pigments
c. 400-550 CE
Maya culture
Mexico

#handmade #pottery #precolumbianpottery #terracotta #pigments #ahmuzencab #descendinggod #divinggod #godofbees #godofhoney #transition #heaven #earth #rain #tulum #chichenitza #incensario #mayanculture
The Mesoamerican Descending God (also called the Diving God) is a unique deity in Maya religion, famously depicted upside down as if plunging headfirst from the sky. Carved or painted upside down with legs splayed out and hands holding offerings (such as copal incense) or with bee-like wings. Most prominently featured at the Post-Classic Maya coastal site of Tulum (on structures like the Temple of the Descending God and the Temple of the Frescoes), as well as sites like Chichen Itza and Cobá. Many archaeologists link the Descending God to Ah Muzen Cab, the Maya god of bees and honey, representing a bee coming in for a landing. Because the Maya word for honey was similar to the word for "world," this deity was tied to creation and life. The diving posture symbolizes the transition or connection between the celestial realm (the sky) and the earthly realm or the underworld.
September 4, 2026 at 2:52 PM
ilovephotography.com
A pot on the patio. Just a momentary image fix to hold me over. 😉 📷

#photography #colorphotography #flowerpot #terracotta #details #lightandshadow
A terracotta clay pot sits on a sunlit surface, with delicate green shamrock-shaped leaves from a trailing vine hanging over its edge. Above, long narrow palm fronds create thin long shadows across the ground, adding contrast and texture to the scene.
September 11, 2025 at 4:54 PM