How were they made?

While many Mesoamerican figurines were made using molds, those of the Tlatilco tradition were exclusively hand-made. After shaping with the fingers, details were added to the wet clay with a sharp instrument. In certain types, poked holes defined features such as the mouth and the pupils of the eyes. Many figures have elaborate hairstyles and headdresses.

After firing, the figurines were painted, predominantly in red and yellow although white and black were also used.

Tlatilco figurines were created in a variety of distinctive but related styles; archaeologists and art historians have labeled them using alphanumeric designations. Art historian Miguel Covarrubias attempted to show their stylistic relationships in a well-known chart:

“D1” figurines, with a relatively slender feminine form, became known by collectors as the “pretty ladies.” “D4” figurines, with greatly exaggerated hips and sinuous body positions, eventually became the most sought-after by collectors.

Because various types of figurines were often found in the same grave, their sequence of development is unclear, although the saucer-eyed “K” figurines and the larger, big-headed “DK” figurines, found both in Tlatilco itself and in “Rio Cuautla” sites like San Pablo in Morelos, were probably later developments.