National Museum of Anthropology--page 4

Photographs of works in the museum are arranged based on the museum's organization:

Preclassic Works--page 1
Teotihuacán Culture--page 2 and 3
Toltec Culture--page 4
Mexica Culture--page 5 and 6
Oaxaca/Zapotec examples--page 7
Maya Culture--page 8 and 9

Examples from Toltec Culture




Copies of wall paintings from Cacaxtla

This archaeological site has extraordinary mural paintings depicting the battles fought by the Olmec-Xicalanca, who built this city fortress with other groups, as well as other key events in their history.
Particularly striking are the murals of the Battle and of the Bird man standing on the feathered serpent and the Jaguar knight--the two depicted here. The Bird man (center) is a young warrior dressed in a full bird suit from headdress to wings to feet.
 

Small sculptures from Xochicalco

 

Center: Head of guacamaya (macaw) from Xochicalco

Late Classic. Height: 55cm
The people in this area worshiped this bird as a form of the sun.It is thought that this stone object was used as a score marker in the ball games.

Right: bat brazier

Clay. This work has parallels with Zapotec works, with whom the inhabitants of Xochicalco had trading connections.
 

Three stelae with symbolic elements found in Xochicalco in the Building of the Stelae

Epiclassic. Basalt, about 140 cm high.

Stele 1 with the image of Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli, a deity associated with Venus

 

Stele 2 with Tláloc

The god of Rain appears on this stele wearing a fantastic mask with a flower on his tongue.
 

Atlante, depicting a warrior, found at Tula

Early Post Classic. Stone, height: 4.6M
Four columns, which would have supported the roof of the first chamber at the sanctuary of the Temple of Quetzalcóatl were found in the 1940s at Tula. In battle gear, this warrior holds an átlatl or dart launcher, carries darts in his left hand, bears a curved sword, and holds bags of copal, a kind of incense. On his chest he wears the stylized butterfly emblem of the Toltec.
 

Center: Stone of the four glyphs

This stone relief from Xochicalco measures time with the bar and dot numbering system--upper register signifies the date Four Rabbit.

Continue to page 5 for examples of art of the Mexica culture.


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© 2004 Mary Ann Sullivan. I have photographed (on site), scanned, and manipulated all the images on these pages. Please feel free to use them for personal or educational purposes. They are not available for commercial purposes.

Page created by Mary Ann Sullivan