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Escultura del dios dual

unknown1325/1521

Museo Nacional de Antropología, México

Museo Nacional de Antropología, México
Mexico,D.F., Mexico

Three-dimensional figure carved in stone and painted with blue, red black and white that represents a god. It is depicted as a seated figure dressed with a simple loincloth or máxatl. Elements such as the blue of its body and part of its face, the quadrangular earflaps, the paper attires spattered by melted rubber drops such as the fan he wears on the nape, his arm bangles and his máxatl relate this character to the water, hills and vegetal fertility deities. The protuberances that are part of his headdress on the upper part of his head seem to be the hills where the rain deities were worshipped.This piece was found during the excavations carried out by the National Institute of Anthropology and History when the metro system was being built. It was part of an offering placed inside a tepetlacalli or stone box, in the nucleus of the structure, along with a blue vessel, green stone beads symbolizing raindrops and copal. These elements are related to the tlaloques worship; these characters were Tláloc’s assistants, who supplied the earth with rain by spilling the water in their vessels; copal, on the other hand, was an aromatic resin usually offered to these deities.It is important to mention that the god represented in this sculpture has been identified by different researchers as Nappatecuhtli, “Fourfold Lord”, who was one of the tlaloques and protector of the people who made rush mats; others think that it is the image of Xiuhtecuhtli, God of Fire, since it has characteristics that are particular to this god, such as facial painting, the forehead band decorated with green stone beads, a half-toothless mouth and bulging eyes that make him look like an old god, additionally, several sculptures identified as images of this god depicted him in this same position and with two protuberances on the upper part of the head which may be the sticks used to make fire. These last attributes have made some researchers think it is the fertility god Tonacatecuhtli. Arqlga. Bertina Olmedo Vera

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  • Title: Escultura del dios dual
  • Creator: unknown
  • Date Created: 1325/1521
  • Physical Location: México
  • Physical Dimensions: w205 x h432 x d210 cm (complete)
  • Period: Posclásico Tardío (1250-1521 d.C.)
  • Altiplano Central, Ciudad de México: Mexica
  • Type: Sculpture
  • Rights: Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia., INAH. Proyecto de Digitalización de las Colecciones Arqueológicas del Museo Nacional de Antropología. CONACULTA-CANON-MNA.
  • External Link: http://www.mna.inah.gob.mx
  • Medium: Piedra
Museo Nacional de Antropología, México

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