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Seated obediently, this plump little dog replicates those found in shaft tombs throughout Western Mexico. Angel Ceron Artisan Association members depict the xoloitzcuintle, a cheerful, barkless species prized by ancient man. Sculpted in clay as funerary offerings, they accompanied their masters in death to aid the soul in crossing rivers of blood along the road of the dead. The cheerful hairless pup with wrinkled skin takes shape as a terracotta ocarina, a whistle-like flute believed to have been used in ancient ceremonies.

A skeletal figure, she stands with her hands raised in the posture of women who die in childbirth. Artisans from the Angel Cerón Artisan Association sculpt the image of Coatlicue, "She of the serpent skirt." The Mexica earth goddess and mother of the gods, her image bears the symbol "Eight Malinalli, or "grass." Her son Huitzilopochtli, the sun god and god of war, defended her from the powers of the night.

Artisans from the Angel Cerón Artisan Association recreate the elaborate stone sculpture known as the "Aztec Calendar" or "Sun Stone." Discovered in Mexico City, the original massive stone is on display in the National Museum of Anthropology and History. The Aztecs (or Mexica, as they called themselves) believed that the sun struggled daily against the forces of darkness. They aided the sun through human sacrifices. This beautiful replica is sculpted in clay and given a crackled antique effect. Features a loop for hanging.

Flexing powerful muscles, a man strikes the pose of a wrestler. His head is shaved and his features are Asian, with a pronounced beard and moustache. Artisans from the Angel Cerón Artisan Association depict a figure from the Olmec culture that dates from 100 to 100 B.C. Discovered in Santa Maria Uxpanapan near Minititlan, Veracruz, this beloved image is popularly known as the Olmec wrestler.

Angel Cerón finds inspiration in the art and beliefs of the Olmeca people to replicate the sculpture of a jaguar holding a man standing on his head. "The original sculpture is from the middle pre-classic period of 1200-400 B.C. and was found in San Lorenzo Tenochtitlán, Veracruz," explains the master ceramist. "The ancient Olmeca believed they were descendants of the union between a jaguar and a woman. The actual myth seems to have been lost in time, though many of their celebrations and artistry make reference to the jaguar, especially portraying people with feline facial characteristics including fangs. There used to be a considerable jaguar population in the same region where the Olmeca culture developed, so they regarded the feline as having some connection with their origin. They also believed it to represent both the world of th living, and the underworld," continues Cerón, who crafts the sculpture with yellow clay from the state of Oaxaca creating low and high relief accents and gives it an antiqued finish.

Angel Cerón reveals the presence of Chalchiuhtlicue as he works with clay extracted from the state of Oaxaca. Officially authorized to replicate pre-Hispanic museum pieces, Cerón crafts a detailed statuette of this feminine deity, the female companion of Tlaloc, Aztec god of rain. The original is dated between 1325 and 1521 A.D. Chalchiuhtlicue is the goddess of lakes, rivers, fountains, seas and oceans, and thus the protector of sailors and is also known as "She with the Jade Skirt" symbolizing pure and crystalline running water. "Chalchiuhtlicue is usually depicted holding a staff representing lightning, and a bag of copal, where clouds are formed. She is revered as the female principle of life and patron of midwives and newborns," explains Cerón who though he has officially retired, he continues to pursue his life-long passion for pre-Hispanic art.

Artisans from the Angel Cerón Artisan Association present a faithful replica of the Aztec calendar, known also as the "Sun Stone." Discovered in Mexico City, the original massive stone is on display in the National Museum of Anthropology and History. The Aztecs (or Mexica, as they called themselves) believed that the sun struggled daily against the forces of darkness. They aided the sun through human sacrifices.