Ɵ Grasshopper or cricket Tarasque culture, Michoacan, Mexico Late Preclassic, AD 1200-1500 Grey volcanic stone H. 33 cm - L. 55 cm Grasshopper, Tarascan culture, Michoacan, Mexico, grey volcanic stone H. 13 in - L. 21 5/8 in Provenance : - Private American collection, acquired 1990 - Fine Arts of Ancient Lands, New York - Sotheby's New York, May 2, 1990, lot 237 Certainly the representation of a grasshopper with a magnificently stylized silhouette, its hind legs folded up ready to pounce. The insect's head is an extension of the body, with incised features and oblique eyes. The mouth is highlighted in slight relief. The function of this type of representation is unknown. Insects with two pairs of limbs are common in ancient Mexican art. This custom is perpetuated today by the Tarahumara Indians of northwestern Mexico.

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