Miztec-Aztec, Mexico, AD 1400-1521 Masks of the major Aztec deities were probably worn by impersonators to enact scenes from creation stories and to recount the deeds of culture heroes. The protuberances visible on the surface allude to the boils said to have erupted on the face of the Sun God Tonatiuh when he dallied too long in the fiery depths.

This mosaic is believed to represent the god Tezcatlipoca, or “Smoking Mirror,” one of four powerful creator deities, who were amongst the most important gods in the Mexica pantheon. [1] Tezcatlipoca is often depicted with obsidian mirrors at the head and is conventionally cast as an adversary to Quetzalcoatl.

Jan 19, 2014 · The striking turquoise mask now in the British Museum in London is thought to represent Xiuhtecuhtli, the Aztec god of fire, and dates to the final century of the Aztec empire, c. 1400-1521 CE. It is made from hundreds of small pieces of turquoise glued onto a cedar wood base and was meant to be either worn by a god impersonator in religious ...

Common mosaic materials were turquoise, obsidian, gold pyrite, coral, and shell. Sometimes the mask would simply have inlaid teeth and eyes. To the right: Turquoise mosaic mask of the god Tezcatlipoca from the British Museum. The obsidian mirror symbolizes the god's supposed control of the hidden forces of creation and destruction.

Nov 12, 2022 · This mosaic is believed to represent the god Tezcatlipoca, or “Smoking Mirror,” one of four powerful creator deities, who were amongst the most important gods in the Mexica* pantheon. Tezcatlipoca is often depicted with obsidian mirrors at the head and is conventionally cast as an adversary to Quetzalcoatl.

5 days ago · Mosaic mask of Tezcatlipoca. A mask was placed upon an ill person in order to direct divine power for their healing, and was not to be removed until they healed or died. A mask could also be placed upon the dead to not only conceal their true identity on the perilous journey to the next world, but also to act as their new identity.

4 days ago · Because the Templo Mayor of Tenochtitlan was the largest and most sacred Aztec temple-pyramid in the Valley of Mexico, the presence of so many masks among the offerings buried there proves that masks, whether they were large or small, new or ancient, were highly valued by the Aztecs.

Jan 19, 2014 · A turquoise mosaic mask representing Xiuhtecuhtli, the Aztec god of fire, 1400-1521 CE. The mask is of cedar wood with mother-of-pearl eyes, conch shell teeth and once with gold leaf on the eyelids...

Nov 25, 2024 · The mask was carved out of Spanish cedar and is decorated with turquoise mosaic pieces, mother-of-pearl eyes rimmed with gold, and conch shell teeth, according to the British Museum. The inside...

Jul 27, 2022 · A detail of a turquoise mosaic mask representing Xiuhtecuhtli, the Aztec god of fire, 1400-1521 CE. The mask is of cedar wood with mother-of-pearl eyes, conch shell teeth and once with gold leaf on...