DOCUMENTED OUTFIT · CLOSED CONTEXT OR CONTROLLED COMPARISON
La Venta grave goods Tomb A: green, red and a lost identity
Tomb A at La Venta contained jade, beads, cinnabar and other objects alongside highly deteriorated human remains.
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History and context Evidence and facts Objects connected through time Further reading Location and territory Where it is held Sources and references Comments Museum documentation · free public access, no account required.
⛶ Enlarge imageDECLARED VISUAL RECONSTRUCTION · AI-GENERATED IMAGE · TRACEKEEPERS Generated reconstruction · Declared visual hypothesis
Declared visual reconstruction; not a photograph of the original nor documentary evidence.
History and context INAH links the figurine and other jade objects to mortuary bundle II, associated with highly deteriorated remains of a young person.
Representative objects: Basalt chamber, mortuary bundles, female jade figurine, hematite mirror, cinnabar, beads, stingray spine and shark tooth.
Evidence and interpretation Documented fact: INAH links the figurine and other jade objects to mortuary bundle II, associated with highly deteriorated remains of a young person.
Mandatory caution: We do not know the name or function of each object. Offering 4 is a ritual deposit, not a demonstrated human tomb.
Catalogue facts
Date ca. 600–400 BCE
Location Complex A, La Venta · Tabasco
Complex Basalt chamber, mortuary bundles, female jade figurine, hematite mirror, cinnabar, beads, stingray spine and shark tooth
Level Trousseau or funerary context with visible caution Greenstone8 Jewellery and adornment36 Figurines20 Funerary contexts64
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7 / 8 In the centre: La Venta grave goods
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Jewellery and adornment Hohle Fels · ≈40,000 years · Aurignacian · Prehistory'Jamila's' necklace · ≈7250–7000 BCE · PrehistoryThe Gold of Varna · Towards 4600–4200 BCE · ThraciansPuabi headdress · ca. 2600–2450 BCE · SumerCemetery R-37 · ca. 2550–2030 BCE · Indus civilisationCarnelian beads · ca. 2600–1900 BCE · Indus civilisationGrave Circle A and Chrysolakkos · 18th–16th centuries BCE · Greek worldsBurial at K IV · circa 1750–1550 BCE · Nubia, Kerma and KushTutankhamun's grave goods · death towards 1323 BCE · Ancient EgyptFu Hao’s burial goods · ca. 1200 BCE · Ancient ChinaBefore the Iberias · Final Bronze, c. 1000 BCE · IberiansTomb 1 at Kuntur Wasi · c. 800 BCE · Pre-Inca culturesBeads from Cerro de los Vientos · 8th–7th centuries BCE · orientalizing · IberiansGold at Kuntur Wasi · c. 800–550 BCE · Pre-Inca culturesRegolini-Galassi tomb · ca. 675–650 BCE · Etruscans and RomeCondomina Earring · 6th century BCE · IberiansSteppe kurgans · 7th–4th centuries BCE · Scythians and SakaVix Tomb · c. 500 BCE · Celtic worldsLa Venta grave goods · ca. 600–400 BCE · Maya worlds — You are viewingEzerovo Ring · 5th century BCE · chronology discussed in the bibliography · ThraciansGrave goods of Baza and Toya · First half of the 4th century BCE · IberiansTreasure of Jávea · 4th century BCE · IberiansSusa grave goods · c. 350 BCE · Achaemenid PersiaPunic head pendant · Mid 4th–3rd centuries BCE · PhoeniciansTreasure of Cheste · Jewellery from the 4th–3rd centuries BCE; concealment at the end of the 3rd century BCE. · IberiansMarina Alta Hoard · Jewellery: 5th–2nd centuries BCE; concealment probably around 80–73 BCE. · IberiansGolyamata Kosmatka · End of the 4th century – beginning of the 3rd century BCE; ritual burial at the beginning of the III according to Iskra. · ThraciansMairena Hoard · 3rd century BCE · IberiansChão de Lamas pectoral · 3rd–2nd centuries BCE · concealed in the early 1st century BCE · IberiansFibula from Lancia · ≈300–100 BCE · IberiansNorthern mound · 2nd–1st centuries BCE · Yayoi JapanHorse fibula · 2nd century BCE · disputed chronology · IberiansSimancas-type belt buckle · Second half of the IV century–V century CE · IberiansPakal’s grave goods · sealed on 28 August 683 CE · Maya worldsMissing grave goods · 13th–15th centuries according to the heritage overview · Bantu-speaking worldsWithout a comparable date (not part of the chronological order):
Figurines Hohle Fels · ≈40,000 years · Aurignacian · PrehistoryWillendorf · ≈29,500 years · PrehistoryBrno II Articulated Figure · ≈28,000 years cal BP · by funerary association · PrehistoryDolní Věstonice I · ≈29,000–27,000 years · PrehistoryLespugue · ≈28,000 years · PrehistoryKostenki I · ≈23,000–21,000 years · PrehistoryZaraysk Bison · ≈23,000–21,000 years · PrehistoryWorshiper of Tell Asmar · Towards 2900–2600 BCE · SumerOffering 4 · c. 800–600 BCE · Maya worldsKushite king · c. 721–664 BCE · Nubia, Kerma and KushThe so-called ‘Priest of Cádiz’ · 7th century BCE · PhoeniciansThe so-called ‘Priest of Cádiz’ · 7th century BCE · IberiansShabti of Psamtek · 570–526 BCE · Ancient EgyptLa Venta grave goods · ca. 600–400 BCE · Maya worlds — You are viewingLady of Ibiza · 4th–3rd centuries BCE · PhoeniciansLady of Ibiza · 4th–3rd centuries BCE · IberiansThracian Gladiator from Cádiz · 67–100 CE · Etruscans and RomeWithout a comparable date (not part of the chronological order):
Funerary contexts Brno II Articulated Figure · ≈28,000 years cal BP · by funerary association · Prehistory'Jamila's' necklace · ≈7250–7000 BCE · PrehistoryThe Gold of Varna · Towards 4600–4200 BCE · ThraciansEl Miradero spatula-idols · ≈4000–3800 cal BCE · PrehistoryGuadancil idol-plaque · 3750–2500 cal BCE · IberiansStaff of Anta 4 · Late 4th–first half of the 3rd millennium BCE. · PrehistoryAbydos Boats · ca. 3000 BCE · Ancient EgyptQueen's Lyre · ca. 2600–2500 BCE · SumerPuabi headdress · ca. 2600–2450 BCE · SumerStandard of Ur · ca. 2600–2400 BCE · SumerCemetery R-37 · ca. 2550–2030 BCE · Indus civilisationKerma vessel · c. 1802–1640 BCE · Nubia, Kerma and KushGrave Circle A and Chrysolakkos · 18th–16th centuries BCE · Greek worldsBurial at K IV · circa 1750–1550 BCE · Nubia, Kerma and KushBefore Vedic India · c. 1900–1300 BCE · Vedic and later Indian worldsOsmankayası and Ilıca · ca. 1700/1650–1200 BCE · HittitesTutankhamun's grave goods · death towards 1323 BCE · Ancient EgyptFu Hao’s burial goods · ca. 1200 BCE · Ancient ChinaThe voice of Ahiram · c. 11th–10th century BCE · PhoeniciansBefore Etruscans and Rome · ca. 850–800 BCE · Etruscans and RomeThe urn under the helmet · 9th–8th centuries BCE · Etruscans and RomeTomb 1 at Kuntur Wasi · c. 800 BCE · Pre-Inca culturesBeads from Cerro de los Vientos · 8th–7th centuries BCE · orientalizing · IberiansCeramic stand 1010 · 8th–7th centuries BCE · orientalizing · IberiansRegolini-Galassi tomb · ca. 675–650 BCE · Etruscans and RomeShabti of Psamtek · 570–526 BCE · Ancient EgyptTwo voices in an urn · 530–520 BCE · Etruscans and RomeThe great Greek krater of Vix · ≈530–500 BCE · Greek worldsSteppe kurgans · 7th–4th centuries BCE · Scythians and SakaVix Tomb · c. 500 BCE · Celtic worldsLa Venta grave goods · ca. 600–400 BCE · Maya worlds — You are viewingSarcophagus of Eshmunazar · first quarter of the 5th century BCE · PhoeniciansBanquet under leopards · Around 480–470 BCE · Etruscans and RomeTwenty-six voiceless signs · 5th–4th centuries BCE · Scythians and SakaThe oldest knotted carpet · 5th–4th centuries BCE · Scythians and SakaThe statue was the urn · First half of the 4th century BCE · IberiansGrave goods of Baza and Toya · First half of the 4th century BCE · IberiansThe Attic krater that took on a new life in Cástulo · 4th century BCE · Greek worldsThe silver amphora of Chertomlyk · 4th century BCE · Greek worldsThe Kul-Oba vase · 4th century BCE · Greek worldsSusa grave goods · c. 350 BCE · Achaemenid PersiaFaces of the Steppe · Second half of the 4th century BCE · Scythians and SakaLady of Ibiza · 4th–3rd centuries BCE · Phoenicians453 astragali from Alarcos · 4th–3rd centuries BCE · necropolis chronology · IberiansLady of Ibiza · 4th–3rd centuries BCE · IberiansFalcata from Almedinilla · 4th–3rd centuries BCE · IberiansGolyamata Kosmatka · End of the 4th century – beginning of the 3rd century BCE; ritual burial at the beginning of the III according to Iskra. · ThraciansThe blade became straight · 5th–1st centuries BCE · Gojoseon and early KoreaGeometry in very fine lines · 3rd–2nd centuries BCE · Gojoseon and early KoreaNorthern mound · 2nd–1st centuries BCE · Yayoi JapanTwo rows of coffins · Mainly Middle Yayoi, 2nd century BCE–1st century CE · Yayoi JapanKabusanza, ca. 400 · ca. 400 CE · Batwa / Twa historiesPakal’s grave goods · sealed on 28 August 683 CE · Maya worldsMissing grave goods · 13th–15th centuries according to the heritage overview · Bantu-speaking worldsWithout a comparable date (not part of the chronological order):
A closer look About 1 min to read · 1 section. Further reading and sources · free access. Editorial review recorded: September 5, 2026 .
Objects linking sea, tools and body The grave goods of Burial II included more than a human figure: a stingray-spine-shaped jade pendant, a votive perforator, and a representation of two forearms with hands. The museum interprets these pieces alongside the shark tooth and ray remains as material references to the marine world and known utensils. The seated figurine measures nearly eight centimetres and wears a simple skirt and a hematite mirror on the chest. The miniatures allow the study of which objects were selected to accompany the deceased, without identifying their sex by that of an associated figure.
Location and territory Physical world map with routes of human evolution Present-day world coastline from Natural Earth in an equirectangular projection. The overlaid markers let you explore each milestone. Map base: Natural Earth 1:110m · public domain · present-day reference coastline LOCATED SITE
La Venta · Mexico Marker of the archaeological complex. Where it is held Item or group in the record · Documented collection
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