(White Tezcatlipoca) Xipe-Totec, god of agriculture, fertility, seasons, metalsmiths, and disease, rule of East (Red Tezcatlipoca) Huitzilopochtli, god of war, sun, human … Huitzilopochtli was the Aztec Sun and War God. Aztec featherwork was perhaps the most skilled of all their art forms. The walls of the great Tenochtitlan Templo Mayor are covered with carvings of Aztec symbolism. This allows historians to understand the development of pottery throughout the reign of the Aztec empire. Animals and geographic features were incorporated into designs more frequently. He was most often shown wearing a flayed human skin, and his full face with open mouth and closed eyes represented death to the Aztecs. A limited number of pieces can be found in museums. Further, the Aztec rulers claimed to descend from the Toltec royal line, and thus, implicitely also from Quetzalcoatl. said to be caused by Tlaloc and his fellow deities. These are some examples of artwork produced throughout the Aztec civilization. Aztec sculpture often represented gods and mythical creatures, and it was commonly expressed through ceramics, architecture, freestanding three-dimensional stone works, and relief work. Certain illnesses, such as dropsy, leprosy, and rheumatism, were In the mid-19th century, a 16th-century Aztec statue of Xochipilli was unearthed on the side of the volcano Popocatépetl near Tlalmanalco. Patterns moved from geometric to naturalistic, often depicting geographical features or native plants and animals. Great Aztec Temple. Sculptures of deities. This is possibly due to the fact that "Xipe Totec was originally a deity of the Zapotec and Yopi Indians in the present states of Oaxaca and Guerrero, an area believed to be particularly rich in gold."(http://www.spots.ab.ca/~atiera/aztec.htm). Expanding trade spread Aztec influence and also brought new ideas and techniques to the empire. You can see artwork from towering sculptures of stone to intricate turquoise carvings, all produced by local artists. A similar rite was held on the 16th month, Atemoztli." Shop for aztec gods art from the world's greatest living artists. The grand city of Tenochtitlan contained some of the finest examples of Aztec sculpture, from its temples and pyramids to its elaborate stone palaces. Some of the pictures symbolized ideas and others represented the sounds of the syllables. He was the god of priests, goldsmiths, and other craftsmen,and learning and crafts, and also the god of twins. These sacred pieces range from small, intricate metalwork to monumental stone carvings. Stone sculptures often depict deities, with statues ranging in size from miniature to monumental. Inspired by Xiuhpōhualli, a 365-day calendar used by the Aztecs and other pre-Columbian Nahua peoples in central Mexico. According to the "divinatory calendars, Tlaloc was the eigth ruler of the days and the ninth lord of the nights. These sculptures reflected the values and beliefs of the Aztec religion and were part of complex rituals. A lot of their art reflected this. She is also called Lady Precious Green. Tezcatlipoca won the conquest and, as a result, Quetzalcoatl is said to have left Tula in 987. "Quetzalcoatl ruled over the days that bore the name ehecatl ("wind") and over the second 13-day series of the ritual calendar. Quetzalcoatl head, Teotihuacan. As a matter of fact, Xolotl was regarded to be the twin of Quetzalcoatl. Aztec sculptors did not create many over-sized heads and these depicted deities rather than living people. Coastal regions depicted fish and marine life in their artwork. 00 Other female maize deities, generally depicted wearing elaborate headdresses, are also common. Coyolxauhqui, a night goddess decided to kill him, but he exterminated them with his weapon, the xiuhcoatl ("turquoise snake")."(http://www.spots.ab.ca/~atiera/aztec.htm). As well as being the God of Fertility, Spring and New Growth, Xipe Totec was one of the four creator gods. He was equal in rank to Huitzilopochtli and one of the most ancient in Mesoamerica dating back to the Teotihuacan Culture (third to eigth centuries b.c.). - [Voiceover] We actually see this on a lot of Aztec sculptures where this Earth Lord would have been touching the surface of the Earth. Artwork from this period carries several themes. The Aztecs had not only their own gods, but gods they had adopted as a result of the capture of other cities. The people of the empire had an appreciation for a wide variety of insects, birds, fish and animals. The geography of what is now Mexico is brought into art through the incorporation of local flora and fauna. Huitzilopochtli (pronounced Weetz-ee-loh-POSHT-lee) was the … She is also often shown wearing a paper fan , usually painted blue. The central disc of the Sun Stone is devoted to the sun god Tonatiuh. The famous head of Coyolxahqui, the Aztec Moon Goddess, is an outstanding example. Featherwork was reserved primarily for people of nobility or great wealth. Piercings, jewelry, and other small pieces have been found. Statues of gods, some monumental in size, have been relatively well preserved. The art of the Aztecs did not develop in isolation. Worshipers have headdresses/other ornaments. Many things influenced the design and composition of Aztec art. Further, the priests wore a flayed skin of human sacrifices in the same manner, symbolising the regeneration of plant life every spring. Aztec/Mexica Gods Welcome to our section on Aztec/Mexica Gods! The sculptures served to communicate the concepts of Aztec religion and were part of complex rituals; even historic monuments were elevated to the realm of the divine and ceremony by the addition of religious symbols. The next ring is a solar calendar representing a 365-day year. The name Quetzalcoatl means 'precious twin', but also 'feathered or plumed serpent', which is the form in which he is most often and most importantly represented. The geography of what is now Mexico is brought into art through the incorporation of local flora and fauna. The Aztec emperors received art works as tribute or the artists sold them in the great marketplace at Tlatelolco. Males sitting with their knees drawn in and with their arms crossed around. Art has long been used for propaganda purposes, and the Aztec civilization was not an exception. Known at the black-on-orange design, this characterizes late period Aztec pottery. He is depicted with a sword-like tongue, holding a heart in each hand. Feathers were also attached to shields and capes of Aztec warriors. - [Voiceover] On the bottom of this sculpture we have the Earth Lord, or Tlaltecuhtli. The sculptures represented images of gods of large size for display in temples and public spaces in Tenochtitlan’s main temple, the Aztec capital city. Mexico. Early rigid and rectangular designs gave way to more graceful, curved patterns. As the Goddess of Fresh Water, Chalchiuhtlicue presided over rivers, lakes, streams, and other forms of freshwater. Every god and it's sculpture were instantly recognisable. Masks such as the one shown here are very common and were possibly placed over the faces of the dead. In a unique tradition, all household goods (including pottery) were destroyed in the New Fire Ceremony every 52 years. God of Water (1300-1521). Lifelike representations of people. Basalt cinnabar coated. The hairstyle is also representative of that which Aztec Women wore: loose everyday and braided for special occasions such as festivals. She was also the patron of fisherman and other who made their living from water. Old stone Aztec gods close to. Jaguars, ducks, monkeys, snakes, deer, dogs - all these were common themes. Bold colors and sharp, angular carvings reflecting the aggressive warrior culture of the Aztec people. Artists were well regarded, and held privileged positions within society. Here we profile some of the most important gods for you, and provide a downloadable feature for each one, beautifully produced and researched for us by Julia Flood. (http://www.spots.ab.ca/~atiera/aztec.htm), He is most often characterised by "coiled snakes which form a mask around his eyes and mouth and by his curved fangs. "Because the Aztecs believed that dead warriors were reincarnated as hummingbirds and because the south considered the left side of the world, Huitzilopochtli's Estimated price: 500,000 to 600,000 euros. Perhaps the most famous piece of Aztec feather work is the Penacho of Moctezuma II on display in Austria's Weltmuseum Wien. This style, called Aztec III black-on-orange, featured designs in orange and black, often on a white background. The Aztecs often claimed land previously sacred to local populations as another means of asserting dominance. This resplendent piece of art is the only known surviving headdress of its kind. His characteristic attire consists of a pleated paper fan worn at the back of the head (amacalli, 'house of paper'), ear plugs and a head-dress set with precious stones which [often] represent water." This may have reflected a cultural desire to conquer all – even death and despair. 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