Tepetlacalli o caja de piedra

There are several Mexica stone boxes known of different sizes, some of them have been found archaeologically and contained diverse objects related mainly to the worship of water and fertility. According to historic sources, this kind of boxes were used to keep the remains of children offered to Tláloc, the ashes of cremated warriors and rulers, or ritual objects such as images or instruments for self-sacrifice. This set of box with lid, painted in blue and red, has several elements carved in low-relief: the glyph of the day “5 serpent” in the bottom and eight quincunxes (a diagram with five points) distributed on the lateral faces of the box. The internal part of the lid presents the name-glyph commonly associated with Motecuhzoma II that consists of hair, the royal headdress or xiuhuitzolli, earflap and nose ornament made of turquoise and a speech scroll; the upper face presents a the glyph of the date “11 Flint” (1516, perhaps) and a decorated border with feathers surrounds the edge. Arqlga. Bertina Olmedo Vera