llness and Deformity in Jalisco Art

 by Mary Harrsch © 2025

Yesterday, I mentioned the Jalisco culture of western Mexico produced distinctive hollow ceramic figurines that depicted scenes of daily life, ritual practices, and deformed or ill individuals, possibly representing shamans or disease.

Seated male figurine earthenware 300 BCE-300 CE Jalisco culture west Mexico photographed at the de Young Museum in San Francisco, California by Mary Harrsch	Seated male figurine earthenware 300 BCE-300 CE Jalisco culture west Mexico photographed at the de Young Museum in San Francisco, California by Mary Harrsch	Kneeling female earthenware West Mexico Jalisco culture 300 BCE-300 CE photographed at the de Young Museum in San Francisco, California by Mary Harrsch
Kneeling female earthenware West Mexico Jalisco culture 300 BCE-300 CE photographed at the de Young Museum in San Francisco, California by Mary Harrsch	Female figure earthenware 200 BCE-300 CE Jalisco culture western Mexico photographed at the de Young Museum in San Francisco, California by Mary Harrsch	Female figure earthenware 200 BCE-300 CE Jalisco culture western Mexico photographed at the de Young Museum in San Francisco, California by Mary Harrsch
Seated male figure earthenware 300 BCE-300 CE Jalisco culture west Mexico photographed at the de Young Museum in San Francisco, California by Mary Harrsch	Seated male figure earthenware 300 BCE-300 CE Jalisco culture west Mexico photographed at the de Young Museum in San Francisco, California by Mary Harrsch

I was curious if some of the figurines depicting deformed individuals may have come from an archaeological site thought to be a center of healing, similar to temples of Asclepius in ancient Greece. ChatGPT replied:

"Yes, some Jalisco figurines depicting ill or deformed individuals have been found in burial sites that archaeologists believe may have been associated with healing or shamanistic practices. These figurines often show individuals with:

Hunchbacks

Swollen limbs

Facial deformities

Goiters or tumors

Paralysis or missing limbs

Scholars have proposed several interpretations for these figures:

Shamans and Spiritual Healing

Many ancient Mesoamerican cultures viewed physical deformities as signs of spiritual power.

Some of these figures may represent shamans who were believed to have special abilities to heal or communicate with the supernatural.

In some traditions, illnesses were linked to the spirit world, and curing them required rituals or offerings.

Centers of Healing

Some archaeologists suggest that the presence of multiple figurines depicting diseased or deformed individuals in certain sites could indicate that these places were centers of healing or pilgrimage sites.

These locations may have been places where people sought cures through rituals, herbal medicine, or divine intervention.

Ritualistic Representations of Disease

Some scholars believe these figurines were placed in tombs as symbols of transformation or protection in the afterlife.

Others propose that the figurines could represent offerings to deities associated with health and disease, similar to how later cultures (such as the Aztecs) had gods linked to illness and healing.

While no definitive "healing center" has been confirmed, the concentration of these figurines in certain burial sites suggests a strong ritual or medicinal significance. This aligns with the broader West Mexican tradition, where the connection between shamanism, the afterlife, and health was deeply embedded in cultural beliefs."

I then asked "Were depictions of serpents identified as Jalisco ever found?"

"There are very few known depictions of serpents specifically attributed to the Jalisco culture, unlike in Central Mexican or Maya traditions where serpents were prominent symbols of power, transformation, and the supernatural. However, a few factors suggest serpents may have held some significance in Jalisco art and beliefs:

1. Symbolism in the Broader West Mexican Tradition

The Colima and Nayarit cultures—closely related to Jalisco—produced some serpent imagery, though not as extensively as the Maya or Aztecs.

In other Mesoamerican cultures, serpents were associated with fertility, water, and shamanic transformation, so they may have played a role in Jalisco beliefs as well.

2. Possible Representations in Jalisco Ceramics

Jalisco figurines tend to focus on human subjects, including shamans, warriors, and deformed individuals, rather than animals or mythological creatures.

Some ceramic pieces show zoomorphic elements, but definitive depictions of serpents have not been widely documented.

3. The Shaft Tomb Tradition and Possible Serpent Motifs

Some scholars speculate that serpent imagery may have been present in perishable materials, such as murals or textiles, which have not survived.

In many Mesoamerican cultures, the serpent was a guide to the underworld, which could have been relevant in Jalisco’s shaft tomb burials, but no direct serpent-related tomb artifacts have been widely reported.

Conclusion

While no well-documented Jalisco serpent depictions exist, it is possible they were present in lost materials like murals, textiles, or wood carvings. Given the importance of serpents in surrounding Mesoamerican cultures, they may have played a role in Jalisco beliefs, but the evidence remains scarce.

What caused the demise of the Jalisco culture?

The demise of the Jalisco culture is not well-documented, but several factors likely contributed to its decline around 600 CE. These include:

1. Environmental Changes

Droughts or climate shifts may have affected agriculture, making it difficult to sustain the population.

Volcanic activity in western Mexico could have disrupted settlements.

2. Internal Social and Political Changes

The shaft tomb tradition of the Jalisco culture faded, possibly indicating a shift in religious or social structures.

Political fragmentation or internal conflicts may have weakened their society.

3. Influence of Expanding Mesoamerican Powers

The rise of Teotihuacan (c. 100–600 CE) in central Mexico may have altered trade networks, affecting the economy of Jalisco settlements.

Later, cultures like the Toltecs (900–1150 CE) and Purépecha (Tarascans) (1300s–1500s CE) dominated western Mexico, suggesting they may have absorbed or displaced Jalisco groups.

4. Cultural Evolution Rather Than Sudden Collapse

Instead of a dramatic collapse, the Jalisco culture likely transitioned into later regional cultures that continued in western Mexico.

By the time of the Spanish conquest (1500s CE), the region was controlled by the Purépecha Empire, indicating significant cultural changes over time.

The exact reasons for Jalisco’s decline remain uncertain, but environmental pressures, shifting trade networks, and cultural absorption by emerging powers were likely key factors.

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