This basalt, sculptural fragment is of the young Aztec corn goddess, Xilonen. Xilonen is one of three corn goddesses in Aztec culture. Each goddess is associated with different stages in corn production, which is synonymous with life itself in Mesoamerican spirituality. Xilonen yields the first, young corn of the summer season and due to her youthfulness, she is revered for her status as a fertility symbol. This sculpture was likely utilized in a Xilonen Festival; the indentions on the face would have been inlaid with turquoise or shell, and the sculpture would have been painted and outfitted with necklaces. The festival is typically held at the beginning of summer to usher in the season, and offerings in the form of food, dance, song, and sacrifice are provided to the goddess. In ancient America, an enslaved girl would have been selected to impersonate Xilonen and sacrificed on the last day of the festival.Valverde, Georgina "Artwork Resource Packet: Head of Xilonen, Goddess of Young Maize." The Art Institute of Chicago, 2012, https://www.artic.edu/assets/68bff8f4-a6a0-6328-39d5-bc83d8c8830c. In the modern era the festival is a rite of passage for young women.