Valdivia female figurine

The ceramics of the Valdivia culture are the oldest known pottery in the Western Hemisphere, dating back to 3500 BC. Valdivia figurines appeared soon after the culture’s emergence. The context in which the majority of these figurines are found suggests that they were associated with agricultural rituals and calling for rain. Since many are female, the figurines are also thought to have represented fertility, production, and agricultural development. Several figurines were intentionally broken by being thrown against a hard surface, a ritual that may have formed part of a ceremony.