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Location: Said to be from "the west edge of a large flat-topped mound known locally as the Cerro Nestepe. This mound lies just east of the Arroyo de Hueyapan, about 3 km to the north of the village of Tres Zapotes... It was reported to us by a Tres Zapotes villager that when discovered, NS 1 lay at the east edge of a large flat area, perhaps a court, almost completely buried. The head faced north. There is no information concerning the presence or absence of a base or platform such as that on which TZ 1 rested" (Clewlow et al 1967:30). Heizer and Graham were shown a large depression from which Monument 17 was said to have come (Graham, personal communication). Since "Nestepe" is less than 640 m. from Mound Group 3 it is strange that Clewlow et alii felt obliged to separate the head from the rest of Tres Zapotes sculpture. Stirling was certainly correct in assigning the head a Tres Zapotes designation.
Clewlow et alii observe that "Heizer, Smith and williams (1965:102) state that the head was moved to its present location - the plaza of the village of Santiago Tuxtla - by the Presidente of the municipality in 1951, although the plaque at the base of head says (probably correctly) 1950" (Clewlow et alii 1967:30). The Monument now resides on a grass covered mound on the terrace within the grounds of the regional museum of Santiago Tuxtla.
Condition: Excellent, well preserved, no significant chips or fractures.
Photographs: Present report, Plate 25; Clewlow et alii 1967; de la Fuente 1973.
Drawings: Present report, Figures 22, 23, 24, 25; Clewlow et alii 1967; de la Fuente 1973.
References: Smith 1963; Heizer, Smith, Williams 1965; Stirling 1965; Williams and Heizer 1965; Clewlow et alii 1967; Bernal 1968; Wicke 1971; de la Fuente 1973.
Carved Areas: all surfaces except bottom.
Material: Coarsely porphyritic olivine-augite basalt with large phenocrysts from Cerro El Vigia (Williams and Heizer 1965). 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 1.4m, Circumference 4.9m, Weight @ 8.5 tons (Clewlow et alii 1967:30).
Description: Monument 17 is a colossal head which consists of a single roughly hemispherical mass. All features except the forceful prognathous face are defined by low relief carving on the surface of this hemispherical mass.
The face is well modeled with many curved surfaces, the cheeks are well rounded and the lines at the nose and mouth are skillfully modeled. Only the nasion and brow pads are rendered as angular flat relief surfaces. The nasion is triangular and the brow pads are well defined. The eye orbits are somewhat less angular and the lenticular eyes project from the hollow orbits. The eyes have no iris and the upper lid covers the lower lid at the outer corners only. The nose is short and broad with a narrow 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 this ridge is a deep hollow.
The ears are rendered in rounded low relief with incised internal features. The ear opening is represented by a drilled pit and the earlobe is elongated to take a profile earflare. The leading edges of the earflares are concave and are ornamented with an incised vertical line.
The headgear is a small plain skullcap with a tab at the front. A headband with a tab at the front encircles the cranium below the skullcap except at the back. On top of the skullcap is a bird pelt with seven long tail plumes falling across the flattened back of the head. Each plume has an incised midrib and a round bead with a feather final at the distal end. A chinstrap descends from the headband, passes under the earflare and ends at the bottom edge of the head.
Remarks: The features of this head, including its well modeled projecting face and unusually detailed modeled back ornament mark it as the most advanced of Olmec colossal head sculptures.
