This seated female figure with a mirror, dating to 700–600 BCE, was excavated from a tomb at the Olmec site of La Venta in Tabasco, Mexico.

Carved from jadeite, a material highly prized for its durability and spiritual associations, the figure is shown in a meditative seated position, holding a polished hematite mirror against her chest.

Mirrors in Olmec culture carried profound symbolic meaning, often linked to divination, shamanic practices, and the ability to communicate with the supernatural realm.

The combination of jadeite and hematite highlights the importance of both materials, with jadeite symbolizing life, fertility, and status, while the reflective mirror represented a portal to otherworldly knowledge.

As a funerary offering, this sculpture emphasizes the connection between elite individuals, ritual power, and the sacred objects that accompanied them into the afterlife.