It was discovered by Mexican geologist and botanist Mariano de la Bárcena in 1870 in Tequixquiac, Mexico.

[1][2] The carving, dated around 14,000 BCE to 7,000 B.C.E., is considered among the earliest pieces of art from the North American continent.

[3][2] Although the original purpose of the sculpture is unknown, some scholars have said that the carving held some religious value due to the sacredness of the sacrum bone in later Mesoamerican cultures.

The carver was likely nomadic and hunted large animals such as mammoths and gathered fruits as evidenced by archaeological evidence found at the site.

[2] The artifact was owned privately from 1895 to 1956, and is currently located in the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City.