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Discovered in 1870 by the Mexican naturalist Mariano Bárcena, this piece is of particular importance, given the fact that it is one of the earliest cultural artifacts to have ever come to light in Mesoamerica. Carved from the sacrum of a now extinct American relative of the camel, its original use remains unknown.
Head of an animal carved from an extinct camelid hipbone Unknown Early hunters & gatherers period (before 1800 B.C.) Tequixquiac, State of Mexico Bone N/A National Museum of Anthropology, Mexico. Photo © Jorge Pérez de Lara |
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