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Ixtlán del Rio hollow figure standing male warrior
Mesoamerican; West Mexican
Ceramic seated human figure
Mesoamerican; West Mexican

Grooved and polished obsidian labret or lip plug / Mesoamerican

Essay/Description

Sometimes called a lip plug or labret, these objects were worn through the lower lip. This example presents a sharp conical point. The sharp labret may reger to blood-letting ritual that was part of Mesoamerican ritual.

Often they were inset with turquoise, pyrite or other material. They were made by grinding and polishing a single flawless piece of obsidian into this form. Labrets would have been worn by high status individuals.

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Title(s): 
Grooved and polished obsidian labret or lip plug
Culture: 
Mesoamerican
Date: 
Unknown
Period: 
Postclassic
Place: 
Central Mexico, México
Materials/Techniques: 
obsidian
Classification: 
Object Type: 
Accession No: 
61.8562
Department: 
Not On View

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