Plastic cup shaped like a dog. Teotihuacán, Mexico, 150 B.C.–600 A.D.

Plastic cup shaped like a dog. Teotihuacán, Mexico, 150 B.C.–600 A.D.
Terracotta.
Published in the exhibition catalog *Ceràmiques dels déus*, Fundació Caixa Girona, 2006, p. 42, item 4.
On display at the Fundació Caixa Girona, *Ceràmiques dels déus*, from November 23, 2006, to January 14, 2007.
Thermoluminescence certificate attached.
Provenance: private collection of gallery owner Ignacio de Lassaletta, Barcelona, assembled during the second half of the 20th century.
In good overall condition. The right handle has been reconstructed.
Measurements: 7 cm high and 13 cm long.

Zoomorphic sculptural vessels are one of the most distinctive forms of Teotihuacán ceramics. This piece depicts a reclining dog, slightly curled up, rendered through compact, rounded forms. The head is rendered with a particularly naturalistic touch: the eyes, muzzle, facial folds, and mouth are defined by fine incisions, while the burnished finish enhances the warmth and luster of the surface.

The circular opening on its back reveals its function as a vessel, beyond its sculptural quality. Although it has been linked to a possible ceremonial use, the lack of an archaeological context prevents us from determining the nature of the liquids it contained or its specific function. Comparable Teotihuacan vessels in the shape of dogs have been found in burials, indicating the significance these animals and their representations could hold in funerary and domestic contexts. The dog played a significant role in Mesoamerican societies as a domestic animal, companion, and food source, in addition to having ritual and funerary associations.