page_title: Takalik Abaj
section_title: Olmec style sculptures
hierarchical_section_title: Takalik Abaj / Site description and layout / Stone monuments / Olmec style sculptures
caption_attribution_description: English: Monument 23. Heavily eroded sculpture at Takalik Abaj, near El Asintal in the Guatemalan department of Retalhuleu. The sculpture is typically Olmec in style and content, showing a figure emerging from a cave, bearing an infant in its arms. It may have been a recarved colossal head, with apparent earspools visible on either side. Español: Monumento 23. Una escultura muy erosionada en el sitio arqueológico de Takalik Abaj, cerca de El Asintal en el departamento guatemalteco de Retalhuleu. La escultura es típicamente olmeca en estilo y contenido, y muestra una figura saliendo de una cueva, llevando a un infante en sus brazos. Es posible que originalmente era una cabeza colosal; aparentemente tiene orejeras en los dos lados.
context_page_description: Tak'alik Ab'aj is a pre-Columbian archaeological site in Guatemala. It was formerly known as Abaj Takalik; its ancient name may have been Kooja. It is one of several Mesoamerican sites with both Olmec and Maya features. The site flourished in the Preclassic and Classic periods, from the 9th century BC through to at least the 10th century AD, and was an important centre of commerce, trading with Kaminaljuyu and Chocolá. Investigations have revealed that it is one of the largest sites with sculptured monuments on the Pacific coastal plain. Olmec-style sculptures include a possible colossal head, petroglyphs and others. The site has one of the greatest concentrations of Olmec-style sculpture outside of the Gulf of Mexico.
  Takalik Abaj is representative of the first blossoming of Maya culture that had occurred by about 400 BC. The site includes a Maya royal tomb and examples of Maya hieroglyphic inscriptions that are among the earliest from the Maya region. Excavation is continuing at the site; the monumental architecture and persistent tradition of sculpture in a variety of styles suggest the site was of some importance.
context_section_description: The many Olmec-style sculptures, including Monument 23, a colossal head that was recarved into a niche figure, seem to indicate a physical Olmec presence and control, possibly under an Olmec governor. Archaeologist John Graham states that:
  Olmec sculpture at Abaj Takalik such as Monument 23 clearly reflects the presence of Olmec sculptors who are working for Olmec patrons and creating Olmec art with Olmec content in the context of Olmec ritual.
  Others are less sure: the Olmec-style sculptures may simply imply a common iconography of power on the Pacific and Gulf coasts. In any case, Takalik Abaj was certainly a place of importance for Olmecs. The Olmec-style sculptures at Takalik Abaj all date to the Middle Preclassic. Except for Monuments 1 and 64, the majority were not found in their original locations.
caption: Monument 23, an Olmec (or Olmec-influenced) sculpture at Takalik Abaj, showing a figure emerging from a cave, bearing an infant in its arms. Compare with Altar 5 at La Venta
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