On view
Art of the Ancient Americas
Mirror,
1000–500 BCE
Olmec style
Middle Formative Period
2016-1196
The earliest mirrors in Mesoamerica were consistently fashioned from dark magnetic stones, such as ilmenite, pyrite, and magnetite. Artists routinely left the overall shape of these objects irregular but incorporated a subtle concave oval in the middle. The ovals reflect what appears before them, sometimes in an upside-down image, but without the clarity of modern mirrors. They are usually drilled with two small holes for suspension and were worn as pectorals. They may have served as divinatory objects or as reflectors of sunlight, making the wearer appear as radiant as the sun. The jade mirror seems to be an Olmec replica of a standard mirror in a more precious but also less reflective material.
Information
Title
Mirror
Dates
1000–500 BCE
Medium
Magnetite
Dimensions
9 × 13.2 × 1.4 cm (3 9/16 × 5 3/16 × 9/16 in.)
Credit Line
Bequest of Gillett G. Griffin
Object Number
2016-1196
Place Made
North America, Mexico, Guerrero, Central Mexico, Xochipala
Period
Type
Materials
By 1966, John Rhoads [1]; August 12, 1971, sold to Gillett G. Griffin (1928-2016), Princeton, NJ; 2016, bequest Gillett G. Griffin to the Princeton University Art Museum.
Notes:
[1] Griffin lent the work to the Museum on Rhoads’ behalf in 1966 (L.1966.137).
