Strikingly decorated in black and cream paint, this sculpture of a kneeling woman is notable both for her unique posture as well as her intricate adornment. While such figures are commonly depicted kneeling flat on the ground, this woman rests on her knees and the tips of her feet, so that her body is actually raised off of the floor, instead placing her weight on her heels. Although her legs appear to be truncated, the sculptor has just captured the effect of her calves pressing into her thighs. Her breasts are only faintly suggested by two bumps slightly below her shoulders. She wears multiple earrings and painted jewelry, like her beaded necklace and cream armbands, covers her body. Incised lines indicate that texture of her pulled-back hair. Here, she balances a painted vessel atop her head. Is this meant as an offering for the gods? Perhaps so, but it is also likely that this was a water vessel and she has been represented carrying water from the well to the village. She kneels down, about to reach up and remove the vessel from her head, ending one chapter in her day’s activities, ready to begin the next and start preparing a meal. What was the ancient meaning of this mysterious work? Whom was she created for? Discovered buried inside of a tomb, clearly this ancient Mesoamerican beauty played as important a role in the next world as she does in our own. Today, she continues to inspire us with her artistry and fascinating history.