Aztec/Mixtec, 15th-16th century AD From Mexico
Height: 19.5 cm Width: 12.5 cm
The Skull of the Smoking Mirror
This mask is believed to represent the god Tezcatlipoca, one of the Aztec creator gods. He was also the god of rulers, warriors and sorcerers. His name can be translated as ‘Smoking Mirror’. In fact, in many depictions during the Postclassic period (A.D. 900/1000-1521) his foot is replaced by a mirror.
The base for this mask is a human skull. Alternate bands of turquoise and lignite mosaic work cover the front of the skull. The eyes are made of two discs of iron pyrites set in rings made of shell. The back of the skull has been cut away and lined with leather. The jaw is movable and hinged on the leather.
Turquoise was sent as tribute to the Aztec capital from several provinces of the empire. Some of those provinces were located in present-day Veracruz, Guerrero and Oaxaca. The turquoise was sent as raw chunks or as cut and polished mosaic tiles decorating a variety of objects, such as masks, shields, staffs, discs, knives and bracelets. We know from a tribute list issued by the emperor Motecuhzoma II that ten turquoise mosaic masks, made by skilled Mixtec artisans, were sent each year from a province in Oaxaca.
Mosaic mask of Tezcatlipoca – The British Museum
British Museum 14 on Flickr – Photo Sharing! by Chris Youd
Turquoise mosaic mask | Mixtec-Aztec, AD 1400-1521
British Museum 15 on Flickr – by Chris Youd
Aztec/Mixtec, 15th-16th century AD From Mexico
Height: 17.3 cm Width: 16.7 cm
The Feathered Serpent
This mask is believed to represent Quetzalcoatl or the Rain God Tlaloc, both associated with serpents. It is made of cedar wood and covered with turquoise mosaic work. The teeth are made of shell. Two serpents, one in green turquoise and one in blue, twist across the face and around the eyes, blending over the nose. Turquoise mosaic feathers hang on both sides of the eye sockets.
The Spanish friar Bernardino de Sahagún, writing in the sixteenth century, describes a mask like this one. It was a gift of the Aztec emperor Motecuhzoma II to the Spanish captain Hernán Cortés (1485-1547). The Aztec ruler thought that Cortés was the god Quetzalcoatl (Feathered Serpent) returning from the East. This mask was part of the adornments associated with this god. According to Sahagún’s description it was worn with a crown of beautiful long greenish-blue iridescent feathers, probably those of the quetzal (a bird that lives in the tropical rain forest).
Though the Rain God Tlaloc was also sometimes represented with serpents twisting around his eyes, the feathers are more consistent with the image of Quetzalcoatl. The earliest image of Quetzalcoatl as the Feathered Serpent appears at Teotihuacan in Central Mexico, on the façade of the temple that now bears his name.
Mosaic mask of Quetzalcoatl – The British Museum
Aztec Serpent Mosaic, 15th Century, British Museum – Castaway in Wales
Aztec serpent mosaic – British Museum – cactusbones
Turquoise mosaic of a double-headed serpent
Aztec/Mixtec, 15th-16th century AD From Mexico
Height: 20.5 cm Width: 43.3 cm
An icon of Aztec art
This ornament was probably worn on ceremonial occasions as a pectoral (an ornament worn on the chest). It is carved in wood and covered with turquoise mosaic. The eye sockets were probably inlaid with iron pyrites and shell. Red and white shell was used to add details to the nose and mouth of both serpent heads. The mosaic work covers both sides of the serpents’ heads.
The serpent played a very important role in Aztec religion. It is associated with several gods such as Quetzalcoatl (Feathered Serpent), Xiuhcoatl (Fire Serpent), Mixcoatl (Cloud Serpent) or Coatlicue (She of the Serpent Skirt), the mother of the Aztec god Huitzilopochtli. The word for serpent in Nahuatl, the language spoken by the Aztecs, is coatl.
The word coatl is also part of many place names, such as Coatepec (‘the hill of the serpents’). Coatepec is the birthplace of the god Huitzilopochtli, the principal Aztec god, thus one of the most important places in Aztec mythology.
Serpents were also used as architectural elements. For example, a wall of serpents (coatepantli) was used to mark out sacred spaces within a ceremonial area. At the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan, such a wall surrounded part of the Great Temple, which was the ritual focus for the entire city.
Turquoise mosaic of a double-headed serpent – The British Museum
Mosaic Art Source Archives – more mosaics from Mexico
I agree with linda 81
Reblogged this on beccartblog and commented:
I love mosaics and this blog shows Aztec Mosaic’s so it grabbed my attention immediately. The teeth are amazing in all the photos shown.
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i loved the web site, i posted some on mine!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🙂
i love cats
what about the aztec serpent mask
SEARCH IT ON GOOGLE!
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MOTHER FUCKER JHON
watch the language, i cuss, but not on the internet
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From John
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KUN BALADAI KUS KUS PICASSO PERRAI
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grande y gordo translate (from spanish)
Hey BITCH SHUT UR FUCKIN MOUTH U PICASSO’S BYe
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this website gives me absolutely shit
no offence
Caydan and Hasnan SUCK BALF
This website was full of shit so please improve the layout and put more infrormation in it you idiotic foolish fat boy
this website gives me alot of info about the aztecs
i like this website it gives me info on the aztecs.
Like works of modern art only their actually ancient!
cool
The British Museum may be think about put it back to National Museum of Antropology & History of Mexico (Museo Nacional de Antropología e Historia), these treasures belongs to the people of this country.
http://www.mna.inah.gob.mx/
that is so kewl……..:)
OMG, those where so awsome i just with i could go to south amiarica and see all of the rest of the stuff they make.
can you PLEASEE add more info to the Turquoise mosaic mask as im doing a school assignment on it and need more infromation!!
like what was is made of? and how was it made?
and what was it used for?
PLEASE HELP!
WOW! such fasinating info even my mum likes it! :]
i like the very first one it reminds me of the show naruto
that was soo totally AWESOME!!!!! my favorite was the two headed serpent im doing a project on the two headed serpent!!!!!!
well im not doing it in school but it’s one of my questions….
yo
Im doing this in skool……………..Go maplestory and Wow(for andre) xD
I am doing a school project on these masks! I hope That I don’t burst into Flames as I present It.
that is cool were studing aztec masks in school
tell me the way to remove a piece of an ancient mosaic from the floor without damage it?
I love mosaics and am going on honeymoon soon to Italy, I cant wait to see some Roman masterpieces at first hand. I live in Ireland and would appreciate any names or numbers of schools or artists that run workshops in mosaics.
Those masks were probably scary.
i love the art its amazing to look at and the complex and designs blew me away i love it, i just can’t keep my eyes away they make so much with so little
that is cool i am doing something like that i am doing aztec mask cool !!!!!!!!!!!
These mosaic masks are stunning, they’re mesmerizing to look at, just wish I could visit the museum in London to see these up close!
i very interested in the double headed serpent.. does anyone know the name of this ornament?
i read that its was used bij te priests and it s probably worn on the chest but there’s no info about the name…?
i really would like to know some more artistic information, and explained a little easier, because there are too many difficult words in this text..
Mosaic art is so versatile!
i love the masks cince we are studdiying them in school!!
this is sooooooo cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!