Xochipala

Xochipala is a minor archaeological site in the Mexican state of Guerrero, whose name has become attached, somewhat erroneously, to a style of Formative Period figurines and pottery from 1500 to 200 BCE.

[2] The Organera Xochipala archaeological zone takes its name from the nearby village of Xoxhipala and the local organ pipe cactus.

The area is known for its Xochipala-style figurines and stone bowls, which have been dated to the Formative (or Preclassic) Period 1500 to 200 BCE.

[5] The Xochipala style is represented by some of the earliest and most naturalistic Mesoamerican figurines,[6] as well as a number of bowls intricately carved from very hard stone.

[22] By way of an alternate explanation of Xochipala precociousness, David Grove suggests that the earliest figurines were influenced by the "already developed and sophisticated ceramic traditions of northern South America", an idea that is not widely accepted in the archaeological community.

Xochipala in relation to other Formative Period archaeological sites
Two Formative Period Xochipala figurines, 13th–10th century BCE (?)
Figurine of a woman, 1200-600 BCE
A woman, often identified as a ballplayer . 10th–9th century BCE [ 12 ] or 15th–10th century [ 13 ]