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Location: Monument 24 was found by Luis Millete and three students from the Centro Regional in Merida in the plaza of the West Mound Group in 1977 and it was placed in the site museum during the same year.
Associations: None recorded.
Condition: Eroded, chipped on lower left.
Photographs: Present report, Plate 32.
Drawings: Present report, Figure 30.
Carved Areas: Relief sculpture on one facet of natural basalt column.
Material: Natural Basalt column.
Dimensions: Height 63 cm, Width 28 cm, Depth 62 cm.
Description: Monument 24 is a relief carving on one face at of a natural basalt column. The relief represents an elite portrait in left profile, most of the face is hidden in a complex headdress but the nose is broad and flat with a round nose bead. The lips are thick and downturned, the chin is covered by a wide chinstrap which comes to a point below the mouth. A narrower chinstrap passes under the chin below the broad chinstrap. Paired headbands cover the figure's forehead above his eye and secure an element with beads on its forward edge to the front of the forehead. Above these headbands is a turban with paired bands which secure an element over the forehead. To the right of the face is a large bifurcated ear ornament with a flaring superfix that defines the back of the headdress. The figure wears a narrow neckpiece with incised median lines and a broad circular collar and a cape.
Remarks: Both the selection of a natural basalt column and the treatment of the figure are reminiscent of El Meson Stela 2 (Scott 1977), the Matisse Stela and La Venta Monument 63.
