This mask is believed to represent the god Tezcatlipoca, one of the Aztec creator gods. He was also the god of rulers, warriors and sorcerers. His name can be translated as ‘Smoking Mirror’. In fact, in many depictions during the Postclassic period (A.D. 900/1000-1521) his foot is replaced by a mirror.
4 Comments
December 6, 2007 at 5:04 am
very nice photograph! I find this story very interesting. thanks for posting!
February 14, 2008 at 10:01 am
This is really gross because I did an Aztec project and there were these really gross bloody sacrifices that I’m not even going to write about. It sometimes gives me nightmares. Gives me the creeps.
April 14, 2008 at 7:47 pm
Hailey,
don’t be a baby. Blood sacrifices were common in nearly every religion back then. It’s just how things were done. The gods demand blood.
July 2, 2008 at 6:49 pm
Excellent quality shot ,I am searching for line drawings, heiroglyphic style illustrations (as seen in numerous codex) of mayan- aztec dieties and rituals.
Formost that of the Quetzacoatl, additionally a design that I have seen before of Tezcatlipoca appearing as though in a space helmet …(the smoking mirror ?)