Kubler's Sarcophagus

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KuBler’S SarcophaguS cold War archaeologieS of The olmec periphery luis m. castaÑeda

In the fall of 1959, as art historian George Kubler wrote The Art and Architecture of Ancient America (1962), he corresponded with scholars and curators to clarify the spotty provenance of the numerous objects his survey book would discuss. Many of these artifacts had enigmatic histories, few more so than La Venta Monument Six—a sarcophagus carved with zoomorphic imagery excavated at the site of La Venta, in the Mexican state of Tabasco, by American archaeologist Matthew Stirling. Since the late 1930s, Stirling had gained notoriety for rediscov- ering the art of the Olmecs, Mesoamerica’s oldest and then most mysterious culture, fi rst studied in Mexico in the 1860s. Yet even decades after this rediscovery, most of the artifacts that Stirling examined were not well understood.1 For Kubler, the unique iconography of the sarcophagus excavated in the Olmec “heartland,” especially what he described as its “ideo- graphic notations,” seemed to connect it formally to the art of better- understood regions of Mesoamerica, such as the Maya region. Kubler suggested this despite the lack of conclusive archaeological evidence to

1 Matthew W. Stirling, “Discovering the New World’s Oldest Dated Work of Man,” National Geographic 76, no. 2 (August 1939): 183–218; and Stirling, “Great Stone Faces of the Mexican Jungle,” National Geographic 78, no. 3 (September 1940): 309–34. See also Stirling, Stone Monuments of Southern Mexico (Washington, DC: US Government Printing Offi ce, 1943).

© 2015 ARTMargins and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology doi:10.1162/ARTM_a_00103 3 4 artmargins 4:1 Covarrubias’s accusation. Covarrubias’s Mexico of Art of Indian review his In true. was this whether to confirm Stirling, after heartland Olmec the in Heizer, who excavated had Robert to archaeologist as well as Stirling, 5 4 3 2 time. at that connections these demonstrate result of the negligence of its American excavators. of American its negligence of the result a as destroyed been had sarcophagus the that claimed Covarrubias (1957). America Central and Mexico of Art Indian Covarrubias’s Miguel archaeologist amateur collector, and art illustrator, Mexican was sarcophagus provenance of the the to ascertain Kubler consulted accusation less politely, as a “canard without truth.” less politely, without accusation a“canard as M-004, Box2. Manuscripts andArchives, Yale University Library (hereafter GAKP-YUL), Accession 1988- Letter, RobertHeizer toGeorge Kubler, October26,1959,George AlexanderKubler Papers, Covarrubias,” AmericanAntiquity24,no.2(October1958):202. Robert F.Heizer, “ReviewofIndianArtMexico andCentral AmericabyMiguel Miguel Covarrubias,IndianArtofMexico andCentral America(NewYork: Knopf, 1957),70. 66. 1962), Books, Penguin (Baltimore: Peoples Andean and Maya, Mexican, The America: Ancient of Architecture and Art The Kubler, George 4 Writing to Kubler, Heizer described the the to Kubler, described Heizer Writing , Heizer politely denied denied politely , Heizer 2 Among the sources sources the Among 3 5 Kubler wrote to Kubler wrote The sarcophagus, sarcophagus, The

La Venta Monument Six, basalt, La Venta, Tabasco, c. 1000–400 BCE. Plate 47 in Matthew W. Stirling, Stone Monuments of Southern Mexico

(Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office, 1943). Downloaded from http://direct.mit.edu/artm/article-pdf/4/1/3/720689/artm_a_00103.pdf by guest on 28 September 2021 September 28 on guest by http://direct.mit.edu/artm/article-pdf/4/1/3/720689/artm_a_00103.pdf from Downloaded ological divides that defined this period. this defined that divides ological Pool, have method accounted for the Christopher and Diehl, Richard Fields, Virginia and Berrin Kathleen by notably those Recent studies, Olmecs. of the study early of the environment disciplinary unstable the analysis. to his tral so cen imagery the illustrate not actually did that print agrainy eries, discov of his report the in published had Stirling that sarcophagus the photographs. his by captured detail the exceeded far Art Indian in featured object done have could tation— “a did job good crew of . photographicdocumen Stirling’s that wrote Heizer unearthed, it was pieces” soon after “split ahalf-dozen into and off” “flaked object the Although heartland].” [ofOlmec soils the tropical acid the in of burial millennia to three two after badly weathers which sandstone too) local (crumbly “made of acrumby was he wrote, 7 6 which it unfolded. which within contexts institutional and geopolitical of the analysis of an part as culture and debate art about Olmec intellectual ceived of apurely as con traditionally been what has to position essay aims this such, As border. US-Mexico sides of the on both exhibitions large-scale in facts arti these display of the and artifacts; by Olmec represented profiles racial confusing the Tabasco; and Veracruz debates surrounding the of states the primarily heartland, Olmec of the modernization violent 1950s rapid, sometimes the 1960s: and the during art of Olmec covery redis the shaped also studies these in underplayed factors interrelated three that essay argues This history. Mesoamerican in importance account culture’s for the better could analyses or archaeological torical his art whether and was culture debates about Olmec how just ancient Culture: TheUnborn, Women, and Creation (Austin: UniversityofTexas Press,2012). Cambridge UniversityPress, 2007).SeealsoCarolyn E.Tate, Reconsidering OlmecVisual 2004), 15–18;ChristopherA.Pool, OlmecArchaeologyandEarlyMesoamerica (NewYork: Richard Diehl,TheOlmecs:America’sFirst Civilization(London:ThamesandHudson, of AncientMexico, ed.BerrinandFields (NewHaven: Yale UniversityPress,2010),18–23; See KathleenBerrinandVirginia M.Fields, “Introduction,”inOlmec:Colossal Masterworks 5. Box 004, 1988-M- Accession GAKP-YUL, 1959, 22, Oct. Kubler, George to Stirling Matthew Letter, Kubler’s exchanges with Stirling and Heizer provide a glimpse of aglimpse provide Heizer and Stirling with Kubler’s exchanges By the late 1930s, the historically neglected Olmec heartland had had heartland Olmec neglected late 1930s, historically By the the at least infinitely better than any Mexican archaeologist would or would archaeologist any Mexican than better infinitely least at 6 Kubler nonetheless reproduced the same photograph of same reproduced Kubler the nonetheless .” Stirling believed that Covarrubias’s drawing of the of the drawing Covarrubias’s that believed .” Stirling 7 Central among these were the were the these among Central ------

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” Journal of Anthropological Archaeology ” inMayas yOlmecas,43–46.ScholarslikeCaso andarchae- 10 Nonetheless, the currency of currency the Nonetheless, 19 (2000): 1–37. For an overview ” inMayas yOlmecas: 9 - - - - -

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Downloaded from http://direct.mit.edu/artm/article-pdf/4/1/3/720689/artm_a_00103.pdf by guest on 28 September 2021 September 28 on guest by http://direct.mit.edu/artm/article-pdf/4/1/3/720689/artm_a_00103.pdf from Downloaded cultures sprang.” cultures Totonac, (Maya, etc.) known Zapotec, better and later the from which culture mother the root, the to have been seems that were “a culture development,” Olmecs the out of nowhere of suddenly full astate in ing of developments.” later source direct the have been scarcely it can that it so unique is respects so many in “but Drucker, with aseason of excavations 1967 after in he reflected culture,” Venta amother be may “La or Olmec traditions. Mesoamerican other unlike were simply much too architecture and art Olmec because arguments, of mother-culture skeptical quite actually was Heizer culture, of Olmec dates ancient of the convinced remained between the Olmec and Maya, which need not be the case.” the not be need which Maya, and Olmec the between or case, not is the surely which ourselves, between involved either of were competition some there sort though as review of your a review write ultimately to it to find necessary be “would dispute, territorial the to response in consider he regrettable,” wrote Iwould to be “What cally. scientifi findings to defend unable his he was that admitted Heizer 25 24 23 22 Dyn journal avant-garde the in 1944 in published argument, of the articulations one In early history. of his art and of archaeology boundaries disciplinary the it exceeded because part large in proved controversial thesis mother-culture Olmec The R interested in viewing or collecting primitive art.” primitive or collecting viewing in interested is thepublic which of segment but ill-defined large sole of concern the or the historians, art of the property exclusive almost become the has once archaeologists, by discovered style, art Olmec “the that he wrote later, decades when two decried Heizer that of claim kind the precisely was This claim. radical apt venue an for Covarrubias’s thus was and collaborators, of Surrealist-leaning its to many of interest great subject a art, of pre-Columbian discussions for forum asignificant but it was 1944; 1942 and between issues for six only ran Dyn Wolfgang Paalen, acial Confu acial 3 (August 1967):25. Olmec Archaeology: Contributions oftheUniversity ofCalifornia ArchaeologicalResearch Facility Robert F.Heizer, “Analysis ofTwo LowReliefSculptures fromLaVenta,” inStudies Miguel Covarrubias,“LaVenta: ColossalHeads andJaguar Gods,” Dyn6(1944):27. 52–56. Heizer andDruckerpublisheditas“TheLaVenta Fluted Pyramid,”Antiquity42(1968): Letter, RobertHeizer toMatthew Stirling,August 3,1967,RFHP-NAA,Series 1, Box1. Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution (hereinafter RFHP-NAA), Series 1, Box 1. Letter, Robert Heizer to William Coe, Jan. 15, 1964, Robert Fleming Heizer Papers, National s 24 ion Founded by Austrian-born, Mexico-based artist artist Mexico-based Austrian-born, by Founded s 23 , Covarrubias wrote that “appear that wrote , Covarrubias 25 This nostalgia was was nostalgia This 22 While he While - - 11

c a s ta Ñ eda | kubler’s sarcophagus Downloaded from http://direct.mit.edu/artm/article-pdf/4/1/3/720689/artm_a_00103.pdf by guest on 28 September 2021 September 28 on guest by http://direct.mit.edu/artm/article-pdf/4/1/3/720689/artm_a_00103.pdf from Downloaded 12 artmargins 4:1 sal heads of La Venta.” heads of La sal colos “the and Papantla” of] “Totonac city ofVeracruz [the cally woman ethni an between likeness” “physical presumed the emphasizes page for same caption it aphotograph below on placed the The expedition. face his of who oneworkmen the assisted of the Monument with One a personage with surprisingly pronounced Semitic features.” pronounced Semitic surprisingly with a personage before, Mexico foundin ever anything unlike Venta. . It fact, in is, La people flat-nosed of from the different nose, totally aquiline mous enor an with man, bearded fully “a as stern, Venta Three La Stela in shown personages onetwo of the described also Covarrubias plexing. more the per Negroid all man’srather discoveries head” the made only thick-lipped, a“flat-nosed, resembling features to bear seemed Zapotes Tres in excavated head acolossal Stirling eyelids.” That puffed between slits or narrow Mongoloid—almond-shaped were “decidedly trayed por eyes the that claimed faces, Covarrubias human display which 28 27 26 Stirling. by excavated of skeletons of analyses basis race on the Olmec adiscrete to identify Comas Juan physician by inconclusive attempt ultimately an alongside It appeared it referred. to which past distant to the than articulation its present moment to the more of related closely dimension racial tinctly dis had a also thesis mother-culture the Olmec of exposé first the facts, expertise. of one any field of parameters the within sat never comfortably had tradition Olmec the as misplaced, surely relevance. its in global and conditionat as once peripheral tradition’s paradoxical the articulated thus Covarrubias art, of Olmec reading racial his In world. known of regions most the but also heartland, Olmec the only covered not that types of racial compendium astrange provided and art evolution of Mesoamerican stylistic of the germ the once contained at tradition The Olmec profiles. of racial array to represent aconfusing seemed art race. Olmec him, For specific any with culture mother the Covarrubias, “LaVenta,” 27–30. Oceanic artandculture, mostsignificantlyinhisIslandofBali (NewYork: Knopf,1937). Before heencounteredOlmecart,Covarrubias hadtraveledwidelyandwrittenabout 69–70. yOlmecas Mayas in Olmeca,” racial tipo un de existencia la de problema “El Comas, Juan article pairs La Venta La pairs article Dyn Covarrubias’s photographs in ofOne the Covarrubias recognized a variety of races in the art of La Venta of La in art the of races in avariety recognized Covarrubias Though ostensibly about the iconographic analysis of ancient arti of ancient iconographic about analysis ostensibly the Though 27 26 28 Covarrubias was not as eager to align the art of art the to align not eager as was Covarrubias In the case of other objects, like votive axes, axes, votive like objects, of other case the In - - - -

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Unnumbered page from Miguel Covarrubias, “La Venta: Colossal Heads and Jaguar Gods,” Dyn 6 (1944). Downloaded from http://direct.mit.edu/artm/article-pdf/4/1/3/720689/artm_a_00103.pdf by guest on 28 September 2021 September 28 on guest by http://direct.mit.edu/artm/article-pdf/4/1/3/720689/artm_a_00103.pdf from Downloaded 14 artmargins 4:1 national narrative, prefiguring its modern-day peripheral peripheral modern-day its prefiguring narrative, national Mexican the in position inferior to an heartland Olmec the gated Chavero rele- proto-Mexicans, “true” first the as populations black, than rather Amerindian, these establishing In people. Otomí Mexican the central specifically population, Amerindian “superior” aracially by superseded and displaced population black a“primitive” by inhabited but of one Mexico, territory inhabited first the as heartland Olmec the as understood be eventually would that territory the characterized ings Africans in Mexico. in Africans presence of possible ancient about the speculated and origin, African of aruler portrayed examined had head from Tres Melgar that Zapotes the that claimed again Chavero Alfredo archaeologist 1883, Mexican in published treatise influential an Centuries), the through (Mexico siglos los de através volume México encyclopedic to the contribution his In 31 30 29 culture. Mesoamerican of all origins African of the evidence vided pro artifact the that head, arguing of the feature of this basis on the claims ambitious made Melgar heads share. Olmec colossal other most that features lips, full nose on and account of wide its type, “Ethiopian” an of specifically descent, of African aperson portrayed unmistakably of Hueyapán, Veracruz, village the in in 1862, hacienda flesh at a Tres that the Monument Zapotes head in acolossal One, he seen had claimed Melgar José María explorer 1869 in 1871, Mexican and lished pub articles In heads portrayed. monumental the that people of the origins about the speculation generated had century 19th of the middle the in monoliths of Olmec discovery of instance first not new. very The was interpretation This heads. colossal of the appearance African ently appar the concerned debate Olmecs about the racial preeminent the However,in subsequent Mexico. in years, century the20th of half first the during circulation in of mestizaje of discourses reminiscent ways Throughout the 20th century, artifacts from this and other regions regions other and from this artifacts century, 20th the Throughout Lomnitz, “Bordering onAnthropology,” 245–46. Riva Palacio (Mexico City: Ballescá,1883). notable yenpresencia depreciososdatosydocumentoshastaentonces desconocidos en laCiudaddeMéxico,imparcialyconcienzudamente escritaenvistadecuantoexistía rario deMéxicodesdelaantigüedadmásremota hastaelestablecimientodelgobiernodeJuárez general ycompletadeldesenvolvimientosocial, político,religioso,militar, artístico,científico ylite Alfredo Chavero,Historia antiguadeMéxico,vol.Iof México atravésdelossiglos:Historia 104–9. 3(1871): yEstadística Geografía de Mexicana Sociedad la de Boletín Hueyapán,” en existe que Etiópico tipo de colosal cabeza la de origen yel antiguedad la sobre “Estudio 292–97; 1(1869): Mexicanas Antiguedades antigua,” escultura “Notable Melgar, José Other 19th-century Mexican commentators made similar claims. claims. commentators similar made Mexican 19th-century Other 30 As Claudio Lomnitz has shown, Chavero’s shown, has writ Lomnitz Claudio As condition. , ed.Vicente 29 - - - 31

Downloaded from http://direct.mit.edu/artm/article-pdf/4/1/3/720689/artm_a_00103.pdf by guest on 28 September 2021 September 28 on guest by http://direct.mit.edu/artm/article-pdf/4/1/3/720689/artm_a_00103.pdf from Downloaded 35 34 33 Disseminated through the writings of anthropologist Ivan van Sertima, Sertima, van Ivan of anthropologist writings the through Disseminated the MaySpeaks 1962the of issue Muhammad in featured copy article of an City—a Mexico in (MNA) Anthropology of Museum National of the director then and culture of Aztec gist archaeolo influential November 1967, Bernal—an sent Ignacio Heizer tives enforced by state-sponsored cultural institutions. cultural enforced state-sponsored by tives narra Maya-centric and Aztec- face of the the in visibility lost gradually 32 lized world, centuries after the colossal head in question was carved. was headquestion colossal in the after world, centuries lized alongsincecivi into “whites” uncivilized race, whomother greeted “true” of members the patrons, and sculptors “black” of ancient head sophistication proof as Olmec of the the presented Muhammad heads. colossal of Olmec appearance “African” to the spin more radical another, yet ago,” years 1300 giving a‘model’ more as than sitting man a black with carved “most definitely Monument been had One thought in the early 1960s. early the in thought Nationalist of Black dissemination the venue for significant most the was source, news weekly organization’s the as official Muhammad of Nation leader of Elijah Islam direction the under Chicago in lished of black Africans. of black slave trade groups,prehistoric however, from the dominant but resulted of of rulers not apresence that was such that argued Jeffries times. ancient in Mexico in living populations of African evidence as served heads Olmec the that D. W. claimed a1953 In lation. Jeffries article, articu moment of their immediate to the world ancient than less to the connected arguments to buttress served also art of Olmec form cate one intri where the though disciplines, of different specialists among one the debate than of territorial kind adifferent here was At stake questions. racial by framed also was tradition of the rediscovery the art, of Olmec interpretations initial these after dition’s Acentury visibility. by asecreteliteofmad scientistsfromouterspace. genetic experimentation meanttosubjugatetheseoriginal“black” inhabitantscarriedout only arrivedlaterto the continentand,indeed,world,but thattheydidsoasaresultof modern audiences.His argumentbecomesmore sci-fiattimes,claimingthat“whites” not sophisticated enoughtoproducemonumental artworksthatwouldremainimpressiveto was a“black” societyintheAmericas thatpredatedallothers,anditsmemberswere Muhammad essentiallyclaimedthatboththesculptors andmodelswere“black,”thatthere American History, ed.EdwardE.CurtisIV(Chicago:Facts onFile, 2010), 402–3. Monica C.ReedandEdwardE.CurtisIV, “Muhammad Speaks,”inEncyclopediaofMuslim- Letter, RobertHeizer toIgnacioBernal,November1,1967, RFHP-NAA, Series1,Box1. D. In the United States, this same ambiguity enhanced the Olmec tra Olmec the enhanced ambiguity same United States, this the In 88 (1953): 202–17. 88 Scientia America,” in Negroes “Pre-Columbian W. Jeffries, 32 This interpretation gained traction in the 1960s. In In 1960s. the in traction gained interpretation This 34 The article argued that La Venta La that argued article The . 33 This newspaper, pub- This - 35 -

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- Downloaded from http://direct.mit.edu/artm/article-pdf/4/1/3/720689/artm_a_00103.pdf by guest on 28 September 2021 September 28 on guest by http://direct.mit.edu/artm/article-pdf/4/1/3/720689/artm_a_00103.pdf from Downloaded wants to hard enough.” to hard wants she if vessels, portrait Mochica Peruvian] [ancient in some negritude find lines—“will racial along anachronistically, often interpreted, be could traditions art ancient other and this which with ease to the tively percep alluding but jest also dent,” to Heizer—in back Kubler wrote discussed what Kubler described as “Olmec negritude.” “Olmec as what Kubler described discussed Monroe, which Susan one by students, of his Kubler written apaper sent 1971, Heizer September In aspects. African presumed art’s Olmec 45 44 43 42 time. the about at butspeculated only findings archaeological by suggested now strongly afact Olmecs, ancient of the omy culture and core econ the of the some been wondered it also that had if heartland economy the Olmec of the20th-century to so significant was Oil ered. were discov they which in terrain modern unstable from the stemmed 1960s the in artifacts of Olmec contexts archaeological and ties, identi racial changes, stylistic the concerning uncertainty ofMuch the F O valued by modern man—that is[,] for subterranean hydrocarbons.” is[,] for subterranean man—that modern by valued resource the for precisely man Venta] to ancient of value have may been [of island La “the wrote, Douglas out volcano-shaped,” to be turned “has pyramid the Because structure. aman-made as VentaLa Pyramid of the about Heizer’s Coe recent interpretation Michael archaeologist to Olmec wrote D. Douglas William 1969, forSeptember instance, on the island”:on the gas vent once of natural what was “a in active and located large be could pyramid the that suggested Douglas of veneration oil, Olmecs’ ancient of the theory” romantic all-out “For knock-em-dead value. areal, mere economic presence have may more of had ancient oil than The luid A luid il E il Letter, William DouglastoMichael Coe, Sept.17,1969,RFHP-NAA,Series 1,Box1. 2008): 175–91. Bitumen inAncientMesoamerica,” Journal ofAnthropologicalArchaeology 27,no.2(June (September–October 2007):56–59;Carl J.Wendt andAnnCyphers, “HowtheOlmec Used Carl J. Wendt, “Los Olmecas:Losprimerospetroleros,”ArqueologíaMexicana 15,no.87 Letter, Kubler toHeizer, September6,1971,RFHP-NAA,Series1,Box1. 1. Box 1, Series RFHP-NAA, 1971, 26, July Kubler, to Heizer Letter, A mound can be imagined again growing about the flare and flare about the growing again imagined be can A mound heroic in people effort. rural and ascattered of uniting itself, by capable, be awe, all would and boundless inspire surely would jungle the in away flaring and aflow, Such by accident ignited xplora rchaeologie t ion and M and ion 43 s : oving M oving onoli t h s 42 “Your stu 44 In In 45 - -

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- - - Downloaded from http://direct.mit.edu/artm/article-pdf/4/1/3/720689/artm_a_00103.pdf by guest on 28 September 2021 September 28 on guest by http://direct.mit.edu/artm/article-pdf/4/1/3/720689/artm_a_00103.pdf from Downloaded of the Olmec heartland. Olmec of the not those least terrains, of these arts monumental celebration of the on apan-Americanist focused remained Pellicer’stropics, poetry Vasconcelos the with encounter and early this After unfold. would Mexico race produced in mestizo of the future utopian where the Race (1925). Cosmic Race The In (1924), to Vasconcelos’s and Cosmic The sacrificios de work, Piedra early of Pellicer’s acclaimed most formulation to the central a sojourn Vasconcelos, with Argentina and Brazil visited In 1922, Pellicer Mexico. in offices state with associated intimately oferation intellectuals of agen part was City, of Pellicer Mexico transformations urban of the “chronicler” appointed presidentially Novo,the and whotime, became life of his course over the twice Education of Public Secretary Bodet, Torres (1902–74) Novo Salvador and Bodet Torres (1904–74). Like like Jaime figures ranks its among included 1920s,early which and the in Education of Public Secretary as stint his during gave support Contemporáneos Los as agroup known alongside notoriety gained initially Pellicer career, early his during City Mexico state’s basic infrastructure and education system. education and state’s infrastructure basic the by a tropics,”enhance the “conquestto defined an be of attempt Tabasco in years have to would coming the Vasconcelos that argued José Education of Public Secretary Mexican former him, after named of school apublic dedication of the occasion on the delivered 53 52 51 cially difficult one. difficult cially espe of an progress possibility the made terrain region whose tropical a in task important way, to liberate,” aparticularly acertain in and, of Tabasco he to wentcivilize on, had.” “is ever “To has industrialize,” one agovernor transcendental most “the was contribution, primary toindustry,” develop Flor’s de la technology idea of introducing “the that Vasconcelos’s echoed Pellicer arguing Carlos sentiment, poet 1945, September in school of atechnical inauguration of the occasion 1979), 81.SeealsoEdward J.Mullen, Carlos Pellicer (Boston:Twayne Publishers, 1977). poesía deCarlos Pellicer: Interpretacionescríticas,ed.EdwardJ.Mullen (Mexico City: UNAM, Frank Riess,“Piedra desacrificios:LahuellaVasconcelos enlapoesíadePellicer,” inLa Tabasco, 32–33. Carlos Pellicer, “Discursoenlaescuelatecnológica,”September14,1945,inGeopolítica de 1965),15. Nueva, Política Editorial City: (Mexico retrospectiva Visión Tabasco: de Geopolítica Vasconcelos, José and Pellicer, Carlos Mora, R. Manuel in 1944, 23, July Ceiba,” “En Vasconcelos, José Born in Villahermosa, the capital city of Tabasco, city in but based capital the Villahermosa, in Born 52 53 , the tropics appear as the region the as appear tropics , the , to which Vasconcelos, to which 51 Speaking on the on the Speaking - - - 19

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- Downloaded from http://direct.mit.edu/artm/article-pdf/4/1/3/720689/artm_a_00103.pdf by guest on 28 September 2021 September 28 on guest by http://direct.mit.edu/artm/article-pdf/4/1/3/720689/artm_a_00103.pdf from Downloaded nizable face, headdress, necklace, shoulder, forearm. and face,nizable necklace, headdress, recog aclearly with provided undecipherable—was almost to seem as eroded so heavily yet monolith, side of foundon the the connector like niche by rope- a the in figure the to in profile—linked figure crouching a like of what seemed late 1950s, image the the restored during was altar the After niche. amouth-like under position acrouched in shown relief full in carved figure anthropomorphic an included altar of the section best-preserved the expedition, this by covered documented and dis originally As point. in acase is expedition, Stirling’s by excavated first Four, oneartifacts Venta of the La Altar appearance. actual their Pellicer’s Venta restoration of transformed some La monoliths of the park. the into of plants species rare several importing as went far as Pellicer oeuvre literary of atmospheres his tropical the as Venta of well La as discovery of narratives romantic meantto evoke the asetting landscape, tropical of alush middle the in visitor the by discovered to be ruins as liths 64 63 (Washington, DC:Dumbarton OaksResearchLibraryandCollection,2010), 148. Mesoamerica’s PreclassicTransition, ed.Julia Guernsey, JohnE.Clark, andBárbaraArroyo at LaVenta, Tabasco,” inThePlaceofStoneMonuments: Context, Use,andMeaning in Rebecca B.GonzálezLauck,“TheArchitectural SettingofOlmecSculptureClusters 62. Ibid., Pellicer’s poetically conceived park presented the La Venta La mono conceived the presented park Pellicer’s poetically 63 . To recreate the native flora of the Olmec region, for instance, . Toinstance, forregion, the Olmec flora of native the recreate In addition to the architectural setting he devised for them, for them, he devised setting architectural to the addition In

La Venta Altar Four, basalt, La Venta, Tabasco, c. 1000–400 BCE, detail of eroded carving. Plate 37b in Matthew W. Stirling, Stone Monuments of Southern Mexico (Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office, 1943). 64 - - - 23

- Downloaded from http://direct.mit.edu/artm/article-pdf/4/1/3/720689/artm_a_00103.pdf by guest on 28 September 2021 September 28 on guest by http://direct.mit.edu/artm/article-pdf/4/1/3/720689/artm_a_00103.pdf from Downloaded fieldwork and writings first brought visibility to Olmec art and other and art Olmec to visibility first brought writings andfieldwork state-sponsored Stirling’s panorama. geopolitical atense within ded embed been had studies Olmec time first not the was late 1960s, this the to specific was turbulence this Kubler got While quite to never see. that sarcophagus Olmec of the surfaces the as rapidly to as erode UnitedMexico—seemed States and the in were tied these to which cies agen state the and with he collaborated universities of expertise—the field of his structures institutional the unrest, moment of generalized heartland. the Olmec in students his with do fieldwork again never would conditions, Heizer end of it.” of these the not be light In will that but military, and police with down to put made these be will attempt the that and establishment, to the challenge places, agrassroots is US, other and the in May 1968 happening the is protests], [during jail.” more many in Agreat are killed. been here indicate—have or there newspapers the more “many than 2shootings, October about the wrote for “A some time. studies from Olmec lot of people,” he withdrawal his prove what would to be to announce day,same to Drucker wrote Heizer The improving.”was not “clearly conflicts, political and social standing long- exacerbated that repression state-ordained by a brutal defined was which Guatemala, in situation The recent years. in Guatemala in traveling while one he witnessed to had the Mexico in situation the for awhile.” Mexico trouble in He real compared to be going is there “guess[ed] Heizer that Berkeley, time, at where the he taught California, of repression and University atmosphere of at dissent the the within experiences own from his USA,” from the particularly “Extrapolating some trouble with two students killed and a large number jailed.” number alarge and killed students two some trouble with (Tabasco) had has Villahermosa in “University the that claimed Heizer 7, on October 1968, Rayney Froehlich archaeologist to fellow Writing repression. systematic and unrest become centers ofhad focalized 1964. in inaugurated space apublic Cultures, Three of Plaza the at the students protesting of shootings of the context the in infamously most of dissent, strands 67 66 Massacre: LatinAmericainthe Cold War (Chicago:University ofChicagoPress,2004). For ananalysisofthebroader contextinGuatemala, seeGreg Grandin, TheLastColonial Letter, RobertHeizer toPhilipDrucker, October7,1968,RFHP-NAA,Series 1,Box1. 1. Box 1, Series RFHP-NAA, 7, 1968, October Rayney, Froehlich to Heizer Robert Letter, Heizer’s withdrawal from Olmec studies indicates that, at a that, indicates studies from Olmec Heizer’s withdrawal During the 1960s, universities in Mexico, as in much of the world, of the much in as Mexico, in 1960s, universities the During 67 “My guess,” Heizer went on, “is that what happened in Paris Paris in what happened “My guess,” that went on, “is Heizer 66

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c a s ta Ñ eda | kubler’s sarcophagus Downloaded from http://direct.mit.edu/artm/article-pdf/4/1/3/720689/artm_a_00103.pdf by guest on 28 September 2021 September 28 on guest by http://direct.mit.edu/artm/article-pdf/4/1/3/720689/artm_a_00103.pdf from Downloaded 26 artmargins 4:1 Latin America. Latin favor diplomatic throughout to cultivate efforts policy good-neighbor involved with heavily agency an Cooperation, Intellectual International on United States of of America the Committee National of the tives to of representa interest became art” American of “Latin teaching and 1939, Kubler’s for instance, August In research context. same the in expression of racial and political dissent toward all these efforts. these all toward dissent political and of racial expression simultaneous for borders, and the international across exchange to cultural sponsor for attempts state expertise, and of authority crises its manage the to academy’sanchors for attempts figurative and literal as served thus monoliths Olmec concerns. mid-20th-century ing to some region’s form of to give the helped also press most Americas of the tradition artistic ancient most the unfolded, Olmecs oftion the reinven and process of rediscovery the As ways. went both exchange the though, Significantly, reshaped. itrounded were inevitably sur that discourses the and tradition of the form material actual the of origin, narratives national and racial, historical, conflicting appreciation. for their context the reinventing while survived that objects to the visibility enhanced afforded intervention, elaborate and sponsored officially an operation, salvaging His artifacts. Olmec other some preserved and destroyed physically heartland Olmec the in tion explora work, oil curatorial case of the Pellicer’s in poignantly reflected Sweeney’s, as such Gamboa’s, is Pellicer’s. exhibitions and As charged politically through than time, at the circulation in artifacts of the tions interpreta charged racially various the orKubler through Heizer and like historians art and work of the archaeologists less so through United States—arguably the and Mexico in of point visibility high new 69 68 America. South and of North continents” “two the between exchanges” cultural pre-Columbian and chronologies “the as described what Stirling in interest good-neighbor of acontext United States in the in traditions artistic Mesoamerican Letter, NinaP.ColliertoKubler, Aug. 24,1939,GAKP-YUL,Accession 1988-M-004, Box1. 1993), 177–204. Collection, and Library Research Oaks Dumbarton DC: (Washington, Boone H. Elizabeth Pre the Collecting in 1933–1945,” Heritage, of Transformations and Appropriations States: United the in Art Pre-Columbian of Necessity “The Monuments Stone Stirling, As these figures and institutions aimed to inscribe Olmec art into art Olmec inscribe to aimed institutions and figures these As a reached Cold War, the art Olmec during juncture At asimilar 69 , 1. For an analysis of this panorama, see Holly Barnett-Sánchez, Barnett-Sánchez, Holly see panorama, this of analysis For an , 1. 68 Kubler’s early career had been inscribed inscribed Kubler’s been had career early - Columbian Past Columbian , ed. , ed. - - - -