Transcript native arts of the america after 1300

NATIVE ARTS
OF THE
AMERICA
AFTER 1300
GARDNER 32-1
PP. 852-857

Tenochtitlan was the Aztec Capital city , and for
the indigenous people who lived there, it was
the heart of the Aztec world, and centre of the
universe.

This Aztec Capital was a large city, located in a
rich economic area, with many water ways and
roads leading in and out of it. The Spanish saw
this as a prime location, one that could flourish
and have rewarding economic growth. The
original city, as cited by the Spanish, was
divided into quadrants , and built around a
mass body of water in Lake Texcoco. These
quadrants create a hierarchal concept of
space, similar to that of ancient Roman cites,
based on politics , social hierarchies ,
economics, and religion. The Spanish conquest,
led by Hernan Cortes, was the cause of
Tenochtitlan’s demise in early 16th Century. The
destruction of Tenochtitlan led to the entire city
being levelled, and Mexico city being placed
directly on top of the indigenous Aztec capital.
 (5-157/1)
Tenochtitlan,
(modern
Mexico City),
Mexica(Aztec)
1375-1520 C.E.
Stone

The Templo Mayor (Spanish for
"Great Temple") was one of
the main temples of the
Aztecs in their capital city of
Tenochtitlan, which is now
Mexico City.

Its architectural style belongs
to the late Postclassic period
of Mesoamerica.

The temple was dedicated
simultaneously to two gods,
Huitzilopochtli, god of war,
and Tlaloc, god of rain and
agriculture, each of which
had a shrine at the top of the
pyramid with separate
staircases.

The spire in the center of the
image in the next slide was
devoted to Quetzalcoatl

The Great Temple devoted to
Huiztilopochtli and Tlaloc,
measuring approximately 100
by 80 m (328 by 262 ft) at its
base, dominated the Sacred
Precinct.

Construction of the first temple
began sometime after 1325,
and it was rebuilt six times. The
temple was destroyed by
Christians in 1521.
Model of the sacred precinct in Tenochtitlan
(National Anthropological Museum, Mexico City)
(5-157/2) THE COYOLXAUHQUI STONE
Tenochtitlan, (modern Mexico City),
Mexica (Aztec)
1375-1520 C.E.
volcanic stone

In Aztec mythology, Coyolxauhqui "Face
painted with Bells") was a daughter of
Coatlicue and Mixcoatl and is the leader of the
Centzon Huitznahuas, the southern star gods.
Coyolxauhqui ruled over her brothers, the Four
Hundred Southerners, she led them in attack
against their mother, Coatlicue, when they
learned she was pregnant, convinced she
dishonored them all.

The miraculous pregnancy of Coatlicue, the
maternal Earth deity, made her other children
embarrassed, including her oldest daughter
Coyolxauhqui. As Coatlicue swept the temple,
a few hummingbird feathers fell into her chest.
Coatlicue’s child Huitzilopochtli sprang from her
womb in full war armor and killed Coyolxauhqui
and her other 400 brothers, who had been
attacking their mother. He cut off her limbs,
then tossed her head into the sky where it
became the moon, so that his mother would be
comforted in seeing her daughter in the sky
every night.
Templo Mayor
stone disk

A large shield-shaped stone relief
reflecting this story was found at the base
of the stairs of the Templo Mayor.

On this disk, Coyolxauhqui is shown
spread out on her side, with her head,
arms and legs chopped away from her
body.

The orbiting full moon in the stone carving
reflects her position as the moon
goddess. She is distinguished by bells of
eagle down in her hair, a bell symbol on
her cheek, and an ear tab showing the
Mexica year sign.

As with images of her mother, she is
shown with a skull tied to her belt.
Scholars also believe that the
decapitation and destruction of
Coyolxauhqui is reflected in the pattern
of warrior ritual sacrifice. First, captives’
hearts were cut out. Then the bodies
were cast from the temple. At the bottom
of the stairs, near the Coyolxauhqui stone,
the bodies were decapitated and
dismembered
(5-157/3) CALENDAR STONE
Tenochtitlan, (modern Mexico City)
Mexica (Aztec)
1375-1520 C.E.
Basalt

Circular shape reflects the cyclic nature of time

Place where rituals took place on certain days

Aztecs felt they needed to feed the sun god human
hearts and blood regularly

Tongue in the center of the stone coming from the
god’s mouth was a sacrificial flint knife used to slash
open the victims

Used the Calendar Stone as an altar to sacrifice
victims, and then threw them down the steps of the
temple to the base where the Coyolxauhqui Stone
rests
(5-157/4) OLMEC-STYLE MASK
Tenochtitlan, (modern Mexico City, Mexico)
Mexica (Aztec)
jadeite

WATCH THE KHAN ACADEMY
VIDEO

Found on the site of the Templo
Mayor

Olmec works have a characteristic
frown; pugnacious visage;
headdress suggested

Shows that the Aztecs collected
and embraced art work from
other cultures
 (5-158) Ruler’s feather headdress, (probably of
Motecuhzoma II)
Mexica (Aztec)
1428-1520 C.E.
Feathers (quetzal and continga) and gold

Moctezuma's headdress is a feather work
crown which tradition holds belonged to
Moctezuma II, the Aztec emperor at the
time of the Spanish Conquest. However, its
provenance is uncertain, and even its
identity as a headdress has been
questioned.

It is made of 400 quetzal and other feathers
mounted in a base of gold studded with
precious stones.

It is now in the Museum of Ethnology, Vienna,
and is a source of dispute between Austria
and Mexico, as no similar pieces remain in
Mexico.

Moctezuma II(Montezuma, Moteuczoma,
Motecuhzoma), c. 1466 – 29 June 1520, was
the ninth tlatoani or ruler of Tenochtitlan,
reigning from 1502 to 1520.

The first contact between indigenous
civilizations of Mesoamerica and Europeans
took place during his reign, and he was killed
during the initial stages of the Spanish
conquest of Mexico, when Conquistador
Hernán Cortés and his men fought to
escape from the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan.