The Valdivian culture (c. 3550–1600 B.C.E.) was based in southern Ecuador and was older than the first dynasties of Egypt. They are known for making clay figurines, which are some of the earliest representative art produced in the Americas. These figurines were usually quite small, and some pieces are hermaphroditic, displaying both male and female characteristics. Many of these sculptures have been found in domestic settings, which suggest an association with women and fertility.