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Location: Monument 6 was discovered by Weyerstall during the winter of 1925-26 "in the flat area west of Structure 19 (Mound 2M), about 50 yards from the mound" (Stirling 1943:22). Monument 6 was moved to the regional museum in Santiago, where it was set up at an angle in a planter to facilitate its use as a ritual object, sometime prior to August 1984.
Associations: None recorded.
Condition: Unbroken, facial features well preserved. A post carving depression is carved into the crown of the head.
Photographs: Present report, Plate 14; Weyerstall 1932: Figures 4, 19; Stirling 1943: Plate 8a, 1965: Figure 22a; Westheim 1950: Figure 53; Smith 1963: Figure 137; Bernal 1968: Figure 38; de la Fuente 1973: Plate 231.
Drawings: Present report, Figure 17; de la Fuente 1973:297.
References: Weyerstall, 1932; Stirling 1943; Westheim 1950; Smith 1963; Stirling 1965; Williams and Heizer 1965; Bernal 1968; de la Fuente 1973.
Material: The material is a coarsely porphyritic olivine-augite basalt with large phenocrysts. The source of the stone is probably Cerro el Vigia, where large boulders of the same material are found (Williams and Heizer 1965, Heizer Smith and Williams 1965:102).
Dimensions: Height 63 cm, Width at shoulders 92 cm, Depth 250 cm.
Carved Areas: Sculpture in the round.
Description: Monument 6 is a horizontal tenon sculpture in the form of a prostrate human figure with the arms doubled at its sides. The head projects only slightly above the larger end of the compact and, otherwise, somewhat conical body-tenon. The arms are represented by rounded relief, but the hands are roughly shaped lumps with no indications of fingers. Each of the figure's hands grasps a cylindrical "knuckle duster" with double bands passing across the back of the hand.
The face is well modeled with many curved surfaces. The cheeks are prominent with deep hollows below and the lines at the nose and mouth are skillfully modeled. The nasion is well rounded, rhomboidal, and is divided by a vertical line. The brow pads are very swollen and completely cover the eye sockets. The nose is short and broad with a broad bridge. The upper lip curves down to drilled pits at the corners of the mouth. The projecting lower lip is straight and occupies the space within the curve of the upper lip. A ridge defines the lower edge of the lower lip, below which is a deep hollow. The ears are rendered as large rounded lumps with incised internal features. The hairline is accented by a pronounced widow's peak
Remarks: This sculpture is presently the focus of modern spiritualist cult activity. Pilgrims from throughout Mexico and Central America come to Santiago to touch the figure's face in the belief that it has the power to heal disease and to facilitate communication with the spirit world.
