Early Formative Central Mexico
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Page 1
Tlatilco, Tlapacoya,Olmec, Xochipala, San Pablo
The Early Formative Period of Mesoamerica, spanning approximately from 2000 BCE to 1000 BCE, marks the beginning of settled agricultural communities and the development of complex societies in the region. During this era, there was a significant shift from nomadic lifestyles to settled farming communities, with the widespread domestication and cultivation of maize, beans, squash, and chili peppers forming the staple diet. Small, permanent villages emerged, primarily located in fertile valleys and along riverbanks, featuring simple thatched-roof dwellings made from wood and mud. Social structures began to evolve with a more defined hierarchy, where leaders or chiefs often held religious and political power, indicating early forms of governance. Communities likely engaged in communal activities, including shared labor for farming and construction projects.
Pottery also began to appear, initially as simple, utilitarian vessels for cooking and storage, but over time, ceramics became more sophisticated with decorative elements and symbolic motifs. Early trade routes facilitated the exchange of goods such as obsidian, jade, and shells, used for tools, ornaments, and rituals, helping to disseminate cultural practices and technological innovations across different regions. Evidence of early religious practices includes ceremonial structures like small platforms and mounds, which later evolved into the grand pyramids and temples of subsequent periods. Artifacts such as figurines and carvings suggest the worship of deities and the practice of rituals aimed at ensuring agricultural fertility and community well-being.
Notable sites and cultures from this period include Tlatilco, one of the earliest known villages in the Valley of Mexico, renowned for its sophisticated pottery and figurines depicting humans and animals, providing insights into daily life and spiritual beliefs. San José Mogote in the Valley of Oaxaca represents one of the earliest complex societies with evidence of social stratification, specialized craft production, and long-distance trade. El Opeño in western Mexico is known for its elaborate shaft tombs, indicating a complex society with distinct social hierarchies and burial practices. The Early Formative Period set the stage for the rise of more complex and centralized civilizations in Mesoamerica, with advancements in agriculture, social organization, and cultural practices laying the foundation for the rich and diverse tapestry of Mesoamerican history that followed.
Standing Female Figurine, Tlatilco
Central Mexico
Early Formative ca. 1200-900 BCE
Accession #: EFT001
Type: D3
Height: 14 ¼ Inch
Provenance
• Private Collection, Texas - #EFT001
• Ex. Joaquin Blanco Collection, San Diego, CA
• Arte Primitivo, New York City, New York
• Ex. Cliff Baker Collection, San Diego, CA., 1960s. #D373
Published: Understanding Social Identities at Tlatilco: Figures from Early Formative Central Mexico, by Catharina E. Santasilia, 2024 (In Press)
Exhibited: Nancy Fyfe Cardozier Gallery, University of Texas, Permian Basin
September 1 - November 4, 2021
Published: Figure-ing Out the Past: The Transcendent Embodiment of Ancient Mexican Art
University of Texas, Permian Basin - September 2021
Seated Female Figurine, Tlatilco
Central Mexico
Early Formative aa. 1200-900 BCE
Accession #: EFT002
Type: D3
Height: 13 Inch
Provenance
• Private Collection, Texas #EFT002
• Michael Cichon, Michael Cichon Tribal Arts, Bradenton, Florida
• Artemis Gallery, Louisville Colorado, August 2017
• Ex. Bismarck college foundation collection, Bismarck North Dakota
• Whelan Fine Arts, Santa Fe NM, 1999
• Ex. Chris Webster collection Santa Fe, NM since pre 1970
Exhibited: Nancy Fyfe Cardozier Gallery, University of Texas, Permian Basin
September 1 - November 4, 2021
Published: Figure-ing Out the Past: The Transcendent Embodiment of Ancient Mexican Art
University of Texas, Permian Basin - September 2021
Standing Female Figurine, Tlatilco
Central Mexico
Early Formative aa. 1200-900 BCE
Accession #: EFT050
Type: D3
Height: 13 3/4 Inch
Provenance
• Private Collection, Texas
• Private Collection, West Palm Beach, Florida
• Ex. Barney G. Malone collection, Texas, 1963
Left Image: 1960 Kahlua advertisement with Tlatilco figure lower left side of staircase display. Home of Vincent Price
Right Image: Late 1950s image of Vincent Prices staircase with Tlatilco figure lower left of display. Photo signed by Vincent.
Seated Figurine, Tlatilco
Central Mexico
Early Formative aa. 1200-900 BCE
Accession #: EFT051
Type: D3
Height: 13 3/4 Inch
Provenance
• Private Collection, Texas
• Ex Arte Primitivo, New York, New York
• Ex. Dr. James Tait Goodrich, Grandview-on-Hudson, New York
• Ex. Sotheby's, New York, May 17, 1994, Lot# 354
• Ex. Vincent Price, Hollywood, California,1950s
Featured in 1960 Kahlua ad with quote from Vincent Price
Photographed in Springer Nature, Library of Dr Goodrich, https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00381-020-04810-4
Seated Figurine, Tlatilco
Central Mexico
Early Formative aa. 1200-900 BCE
Accession #: EFT052
Type: D3
Height: 11 1/2 Inch
Provenance
• Private Collection, Texas
• Ex Arte Primitivo, New York, New York
• Ex. Barry Kernerman, Toronto, Canada
• Ex. Samuael Dubiner, Tel Aviv, Israel, 1960s
Seated Figurine, Tlapacoya
Puebla State, Mexico
Early Formative aa. 1200-900 BCE
Accession #: EFT053
Type: D3
Height: 10 3/8 Inch
Provenance
• Private Collection, Texas
• Ex Arte Primitivo, New York, New York
• Ex. Barry Kernerman, Toronto, Canada
• Ex. Samuael Dubiner, Tel Aviv, Israel, 1960s
Seated Female Figurine, Tlatilco
Central Mexico
Early Formative ca. 1200-900 BCE
Accession #: EFT003
Type: D3
Height: 10 ½ Inch
Provenance
• Private Collection, Texas
• Ex. Joaquin Blanco collection, San Diego, California
• Ex. estate of the late Richard Bellak, New York City, New York
Purchased before catalog date July 15th 1965
Exhibited: Nancy Fyfe Cardozier Gallery, University of Texas, Permian Basin
September 1 - November 4, 2021
Published: Figure-ing Out the Past: The Transcendent Embodiment of Ancient Mexican Art
University of Texas, Permian Basin - September 2021
Seated Female Figurine, Tlatilco-style
Morelos State, Mexico
Early Formative ca. 1200 BCE - 900 BCE
Accession #: EFT008
Type: D3
Height: 6 ¾ Inches
Provenance
• Private Collection, Texas
• Ex David DeRoche, Piedmont, California, Inventory #D702WI
• Ex Shirley Hanberry collection, acquired in the 1960's, San Francisco, California
Published: Understanding Social Identities at Tlatilco: Figures from Early Formative Central Mexico, by Catharina E. Santasilia, 2024 (In Press)
Exhibited: Nancy Fyfe Cardozier Gallery, University of Texas, Permian Basin
September 1 - November 4, 2021
Published: Figure-ing Out the Past: The Transcendent Embodiment of Ancient Mexican Art
University of Texas, Permian Basin - September 2021
Seated Hunchback Figurine, Tlatilco-style
Morelos State, Mexico
Early Formative ca. 1200 BCE - 900 BCE
Accession #: EFT054
Type: D3
Height: 6 1/2 Inches
Provenance
• Private Collection, Texas
• Akiba Galleries, Dania Beach, Florida
• Ex William J. Moraskie, Boynton Beach, Florida, Acquired 1950s
Standing Female Figurine, San Pablo-style
Morelos State, Mexico
Early Formative ca. 1200 BCE - 900 BCE
Accession #: EFT055
Type: DK
Height: 19 1/2 Inches
Provenance
• Private Collection, Texas
• Ex Arte Primitivo, New York, New York
• Ex The Merrin Gallery, New York, New York, 1980s
• Ex Curtis Katz, New York, New York, 1968-1969
• Ex Josue Saenz Trevino, 1950s-1960s, Mexico City, Mexico
Note: Josue Saenz Trevino was the first collector to acquire the Maya Codex ( Codice Maya de Mexico ) from looters that discovered the Codex in a secret dry cave. The Looters first shown Josue the Codex in a remote site in the foothills of the Sierra Madre de Chiapas.
Standing Female Figurine, San Pablo-style
Central Mexico
Early Formative ca. 1200-900 BCE
Accession #: EFT004
Type: DK
Height: 11 ¼ Inch
Provenance
• Private Collection, Texas
• Ex. Jim Catalano, Arte Antigua, Salinas, California
• Ex. Ron Normandeau, Anthropos Fine Art, Los Angeles California, 2012
• Ex. Mr Hienz Vaterlaus collection, Belgium 1980
• Ex.Te-Paske & Norman Hurst's Gallery, Cambridge, Massachusetts pre-1970
Exhibited: Nancy Fyfe Cardozier Gallery, University of Texas, Permian Basin
September 1 - November 4, 2021
Published: Figure-ing Out the Past: The Transcendent Embodiment of Ancient Mexican Art
University of Texas, Permian Basin - September 2021
Standing Female Figurine, San Pablo-style
Morelos State, Mexico
Early Formative ca.1200 BCE - 900 BCE
Accession #: EFT009
Type: DK
Height: 13 inches
Provenance
• Private Collection, Texas
• Ex Private Collection, Rome, Italy early 2000's
• Ex Dick Meijer Galleries, Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Ex Old Dutch Collection 1960’s
Exhibited: Nancy Fyfe Cardozier Gallery, University of Texas, Permian Basin
September 1 - November 4, 2021
Published: Figure-ing Out the Past: The Transcendent Embodiment of Ancient Mexican Art
University of Texas, Permian Basin - September 2021
Standing Female Figurine, Tlatilco
Central Mexico
Early Formative ca. 1200-900 BCE
Accession #: EFT005
Type: D3
Height: 10 ½ Inch
Provenance
• Private Collection, Texas
• Michael Cichon, Michael Cichon Tribal Arts, Bradenton, Florida
• Ex. Barney G. Malone collection, Texas,1963
Exhibited: Nancy Fyfe Cardozier Gallery, University of Texas, Permian Basin
September 1 - November 4, 2021
Published: Figure-ing Out the Past: The Transcendent Embodiment of Ancient Mexican Art
University of Texas, Permian Basin - September 2021
Standing Female Figurine, Tlatilco-style
Central Mexico
Early Formative 1200-900 BCE
Accession #: EFT006
Type: D3
Height: 8 Inch
Provenance
• Private Collection, Texas
• Michael Cichon, Michael Cichon Tribal Arts, Bradenton, Florida
• Ex. Barney G. Malone collection, Texas, 1963
Exhibited: Nancy Fyfe Cardozier Gallery, University of Texas, Permian Basin
September 1 - November 4, 2021
Published: Figure-ing Out the Past: The Transcendent Embodiment of Ancient Mexican Art
University of Texas, Permian Basin - September 2021
Standing Female Figurine, San Pablo-style
Morelos State, Mexico
Early Formative 1200-900 BCE
Accession #: EFT056
Type: D3
Height: 10 1/2 Inch
Provenance
• Private Collection, Texas
• Ex. Ron Normandeau, Anthropos Fine Art, Los Angeles, California
• Ex. Brisacher Family, Costa Mesa, California
• Ex. Sidney Newman, Beverly Hills, California, 1960s
Standing Female Figurine, Tlatilco
Central Mexico
Early Formative ca. 1200-900 BCE
Accession #: EFT007
Type: D3
Height: 10 ½ Inch
Provenance
• Private Collection, Texas
• Ex. Joaquin Blanco Collection, San Diego, California
• Arte Primitivo, New York City, New York
•Ex. Estate of Hannelore Schulhof, collection of Rudolph B. and Hannelore B. Schulhof, Kings
Point, New York, 1950s-1960s.
Exhibited: Nancy Fyfe Cardozier Gallery, University of Texas, Permian Basin
September 1 - November 4, 2021
Published: Figure-ing Out the Past: The Transcendent Embodiment of Ancient Mexican Art
University of Texas, Permian Basin - September 2021
Seated Female Figurine, Tlatilco
Central, Mexico
Early Formative ca. 1200 BCE - 900 BCE
Accession #: EFT057
Type: D3
Height: 8 Inch
Provenance
• Private Collection, Texas
• Ex Merrill's Auction, Williston, VT
• Ex. Private Collection, New York, 1960s
Seated Female Figurine, Tlatilco
Central, Mexico
Early Formative ca. 1200 BCE - 900 BCE
Accession #: EFT058
Type: D3
Height: 7 1/8 Inch
Provenance
• Private Collection, Texas
• Ex Arte Primitivo, New York, New York
• Ex. Dr. James Tait Goodrich, Grandview-on-Hudson, New York
• Ex. Sothebys, New York, May 17, 1994, lot# 353
• Ex. Vincent Price, Hollywood, California,1950s
Figure Photographed in Springer Nature, Library of Dr Goodrich, https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00381-020-04810-4
Figure Photographed next to James Tait Goodrich in New York Magazine article titled "Separation Anxiety" August 22, 2005
James Tait Goodrich MD in his study, image attribution, Mary Ellen Mark, August, 2005
Seated Female Figurine, San Pablo-style
Morelos State, Mexico
Early Formative ca. 1200 BCE - 900 BCE
Accession #: EFT059
Type: DK
Height: 7 Inch
Provenance
• Private Collection, Texas
• Ex Arte Primitivo, New York, New York
• Ex. Dr. James Tait Goodrich, Grandview-on-Hudson, New York
• Ex. Harmer Rooke Galleries, New York, New York, 1995
• Ex. Harmer Rooke Galleries, New York, New York, 1985
• Ex. Vincent Price, Hollywood, California,1950s
Photographed in Springer Nature, Library of Dr Goodrich, https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00381-020-04810-4
Seated Female Figurine, San Pablo-style
Morelos State, Mexico
Early Formative ca. 1200 BCE - 900 BCE
Accession #: EFT010
Type: DK
Height: 6 5/8 Inch
Provenance
• Private Collection, Texas
• Ex Sothebys, New York, New York, Pre-Columbian Art, May 31, 1985, page figure 137
• Ex Dr Armin Sadoff, Beverly Hills, California, 1950s - 1960s
Published: Understanding Social Identities at Tlatilco: Figures from Early Formative Central Mexico, by Catharina E. Santasilia, 2024 (In Press)
Exhibited: Nancy Fyfe Cardozier Gallery, University of Texas, Permian Basin
September 1 - November 4, 2021
Published: Figure-ing Out the Past: The Transcendent Embodiment of Ancient Mexican Art
University of Texas, Permian Basin - September 2021
Standing Female Figurine, Tlatilco
Central Mexico
Early Formative ca. 1200-900 BCE
Accession #: EFT013
Type: K1 var. B
Height: 5 ¼ Inch
Provenance
• Private Collection, Texas
• Ex. Joaquin Blanco Collection, San Diego, CA
• Artemis Gallery, Erie, Colorado
• Arte Primitivo, New York City, New York
• Ex. Private Collection, Long Island, New York, Acquired in 1960s
Published: Understanding Social Identities at Tlatilco: Figures from Early Formative Central Mexico, by Catharina E. Santasilia, 2024 (In Press)
Exhibited: Nancy Fyfe Cardozier Gallery, University of Texas, Permian Basin
September 1 - November 4, 2021
Published: Figure-ing Out the Past: The Transcendent Embodiment of Ancient Mexican Art
University of Texas, Permian Basin - September 2021
Standing Female Figurine, Tlatilco
Central Mexico
Early Formative ca. 1200-900 BCE
Accession #: EFT014
Type: K1 var. A
Height: 4 Inch
Provenance
• Private Collection, Texas
• Ex. Joaquin Blanco Collection, San Diego, CA
• Ex. Gina Manio, York City, New York
• Ex. Abner Weisman, New York, New York, Acquired 1950s – 1960s
Exhibited: Nancy Fyfe Cardozier Gallery, University of Texas, Permian Basin
September 1 - November 4, 2021
Published: Figure-ing Out the Past: The Transcendent Embodiment of Ancient Mexican Art
University of Texas, Permian Basin - September 2021
Standing Female Figurine with Baby, Tlatilco
Central Mexico
Early Formative ca. 1200-900 BCE
Accession #: EFT015
Type: K1 var. A
Height: 4 Inch
Provenance
• Private Collection, Texas
• Ex. R. Pearson, Denver, Colorado
• Arte Primitivo, New York City, New York
• Ex. Albert J. and Monique Grant, New York, New York, Acquired 1950s-1960s
Published: Understanding Social Identities at Tlatilco: Figures from Early Formative Central Mexico, by Catharina E. Santasilia, 2024 (In Press)
Exhibited: Nancy Fyfe Cardozier Gallery, University of Texas, Permian Basin
September 1 - November 4, 2021
Published: Figure-ing Out the Past: The Transcendent Embodiment of Ancient Mexican Art
University of Texas, Permian Basin - September 2021
Standing Female Figurine, Tlatilco
Central Mexico
Early Formative ca. 1200-900 BCE
Accession #: EFT016
Type: D1
Height: 4 Inch
Provenance
• Private Collection, Texas
• Ex. Joaquin Blanco Collection, San Diego, CA
• Arte Primitivo, New York City, New York
• Ex. James M. Silberman, Alexandria, Virginia, 1950s - 1960s
Exhibited: Nancy Fyfe Cardozier Gallery, University of Texas, Permian Basin
September 1 - November 4, 2021
Published: Figure-ing Out the Past: The Transcendent Embodiment of Ancient Mexican Art
University of Texas, Permian Basin - September 2021
Standing Female Figurine, Tlatilco
Central Mexico
Early Formative ca. 1200-900 BCE
Accession #: EFT017
Type: D1
Height: 4 ¾ Inch
Provenance
• Private Collection, Texas
• Ex. Joaquin Blanco Collection, San Diego, CA
• Ex. Artemis Gallery, Erie, Colorado
• Art for Eternity, New York City, New York #12143
• Ex. Private Collection, New York, New York, Acquired 1960s
Exhibited: Nancy Fyfe Cardozier Gallery, University of Texas, Permian Basin
September 1 - November 4, 2021
Published: Figure-ing Out the Past: The Transcendent Embodiment of Ancient Mexican Art
University of Texas, Permian Basin - September 2021
Standing Female Figurine, Tlatilco
Central Mexico
Early Formative ca. 1200-900 BCE
Accession #: EFT018
Type: D1
Height: 4 ¼ Inch
Provenance
• Private Collection, Texas
• Art for Eternity, New York City, New York
• Ex. Sidney Berman, New York, New York, Acquired 1960s
Exhibited: Nancy Fyfe Cardozier Gallery, University of Texas, Permian Basin
September 1 - November 4, 2021
Published: Figure-ing Out the Past: The Transcendent Embodiment of Ancient Mexican Art
University of Texas, Permian Basin - September 2021
Standing Female Figurine, Tlatilco
Central Mexico
Early Formative ca. 1200-900 BCE
Accession #: EFT019
Type: D1
Height: 4 3/8 Inch
Provenance
• Private Collection, Texas
• Ex. Jim Catalano, Salinas, California
• Artemis Gallery, Erie, Colorado
• Ex. Private Collection, Ventura County, California, Acquired 1960s
Exhibited: Nancy Fyfe Cardozier Gallery, University of Texas, Permian Basin
September 1 - November 4, 2021
Published: Figure-ing Out the Past: The Transcendent Embodiment of Ancient Mexican Art
University of Texas, Permian Basin - September 2021
Standing Female Figurine, Tlatilco
Central Mexico
Early Formative ca. 1200-900 BCE
Accession #: EFT020
Type: D1
Height: 2 5/8 Inch
Provenance
• Private Collection, Texas
• Arte Primitivo, New York, New York
• Ex. Albert J. and Monique Grant, New York, New York, Acquired 1950s-1960s
Exhibited: Nancy Fyfe Cardozier Gallery, University of Texas, Permian Basin
September 1 - November 4, 2021
Published: Figure-ing Out the Past: The Transcendent Embodiment of Ancient Mexican Art
University of Texas, Permian Basin - September 2021
Standing Female Figurine, Tlatilco
Central Mexico
Early Formative ca. 1200-900 BCE
Accession #: EFT021
Type: D2
Height: 6 ¾ Inch
Provenance
• Private Collection, Texas
• Ex. Joaquin Blanco Collection, San Diego, California
• Ex Dr. Sidney and Adeline Newman
Collection, Beverly Hills, California, Acquired 1950's-60's
Exhibited: Nancy Fyfe Cardozier Gallery, University of Texas, Permian Basin
September 1 - November 4, 2021
Published: Figure-ing Out the Past: The Transcendent Embodiment of Ancient Mexican Art
University of Texas, Permian Basin - September 2021
Standing Female Figurine, Tlatilco
Central Mexico
Early Formative ca. 1200-900 BCE
Accession #: EFT022
Type: D2
Height: 5 ¼ Inch
Provenance
• Private Collection, Texas
• Ex. Joaquin Blanco Collection, San Diego, California
• Ex Dr. Sidney and Adeline Newman
Collection, Beverly Hills, California, Acquired 1950's-60's
Exhibited: Nancy Fyfe Cardozier Gallery, University of Texas, Permian Basin
September 1 - November 4, 2021
Published: Figure-ing Out the Past: The Transcendent Embodiment of Ancient Mexican Art
University of Texas, Permian Basin - September 2021
Standing Female Figurine, Tlatilco
Central Mexico
Early Formative ca. 1200-900 BCE
Accession #: EFT023
Type: D2
Height: 6 ¾ Inch
Provenance
• Private Collection, Texas
• Artemis Gallery, Erie, Colorado
• Ex. P. Davis Collection, Santa Monica, California, Acquired 1985
• Ex. Private Collection, Brentwood, California, Acquired 1965
Published: Understanding Social Identities at Tlatilco: Figures from Early Formative Central Mexico, by Catharina E. Santasilia, 2024 (In Press)
Exhibited: Nancy Fyfe Cardozier Gallery, University of Texas, Permian Basin
September 1 - November 4, 2021
Published: Figure-ing Out the Past: The Transcendent Embodiment of Ancient Mexican Art
University of Texas, Permian Basin - September 2021
Standing Female Figurine, Tlatilco
Central Mexico
Early Formative ca. 1200-900 BCE
Accession #: EFT024
Type: D2-D4
Height: 6 ¼ Inch
Provenance
• Private Collection, Texas
• Ex. Joaquin Blanco Collection, San Diego, California
• Ex. Leonard Kaplan Collection, Laguna Beach, California Acquired 1960's
Exhibited: Nancy Fyfe Cardozier Gallery, University of Texas, Permian Basin
September 1 - November 4, 2021
Published: Figure-ing Out the Past: The Transcendent Embodiment of Ancient Mexican Art
University of Texas, Permian Basin - September 2021
Standing Female Figurine, Tlatilco
Central Mexico
Early Formative ca. 1200-900 BCE
Accession #: EFT025
Type: D2-D4
Height: 5 ½ Inch
Provenance
• Private Collection, Texas
• Ex. Joaquin Blanco Collection, San Diego, California
• Ex Leonard Kaplan Collection, Laguna Beach, California Acquired 1960's
Exhibited: Nancy Fyfe Cardozier Gallery, University of Texas, Permian Basin
September 1 - November 4, 2021
Published: Figure-ing Out the Past: The Transcendent Embodiment of Ancient Mexican Art
University of Texas, Permian Basin - September 2021
Standing Female Figurine, Tlatilco
Central Mexico
Early Formative ca. 1200-900 BCE
Accession #: EFT026
Type: D2
Height: 5 ½ Inch
Provenance
• Private Collection, Texas
• Ex. Joaquin Blanco Collection, San Diego, California
• Ex Artemis Gallery, Erie, Colorado
• Ex Scollard Collection, Los Angeles, California Acquired 1960's
Exhibited: Nancy Fyfe Cardozier Gallery, University of Texas, Permian Basin
September 1 - November 4, 2021
Published: Figure-ing Out the Past: The Transcendent Embodiment of Ancient Mexican Art
University of Texas, Permian Basin - September 2021
Standing Female Figurine, Tlatilco-style
Central Mexico, Los Bocas
Early Formative ca. 1200-900 BCE
Accession #: EFT030
Type: D2
Height: 4 ½ Inch
Provenance
• Private Collection, Texas
• Ex. Michaan’s Auctions, Alameda, California
• Ex. Naomi Lindstrom Collection, California, Acquired 1950's-60's
Exhibited: Nancy Fyfe Cardozier Gallery, University of Texas, Permian Basin
September 1 - November 4, 2021
Published: Figure-ing Out the Past: The Transcendent Embodiment of Ancient Mexican Art
University of Texas, Permian Basin - September 2021