Skip to main content
Ancient Americas

Ancient Americas

The ancient Americas collection reflects the diversity and sophistication of art created prior to European contact. Featured here are works spanning two millennia that express the social, political, and spiritual concerns of various cultures that flourished across different landscapes and climate zones. The collection includes works of pottery, gold, textiles, stonework, and jade (jadeite) created by ancient cultures in Mesoamerica (present-day Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, and Honduras) and South America.

Collection Highlights
Portrait mask
900–600 BC
Seated female effigy figure
250 B.C.–250 A.D.
Mantle
AD 1-100
Jaguar effigy metate
A.D. 300–700