As many other stars and celebrities before him who have felt drawn to the mysteries of Mexico’s pre-Columbian past, in March 2016, Mick Jagger visited the National Museum of Anthropology, located in Mexico City. The Rolling Stones were in town as part of their world tour, and the band got a very special visit of the museum, the most important repository of ancient Mexican art. He even posted a few selfies he took in the main courtyard.
Although he never revealed his inner thoughts about what he saw in his visit, we can safely assume that he was duly impressed by the majestic pieces the museum houses. Sculptures, codex, vases and masks have elicited admiring comments from millions of visitors. The museum is huge, and as any Mexican can tell you, one day is certainly not enough to appreciate the beauty and scope of the multiple pre-Columbian Mexican cultures. Therefore, we have compiled what we believe are the top ten pieces you can admire in this museum for when you come visit.
Mexica Culture
Coatlicue
This 252 x 158 x 124 cm monolith is one of the most extraordinary art pieces in Mexica culture, and also one of the scariest ones. Coatlicue means (“The one with the snake skirt”) and the details of the sculpture are one of the most interesting in the Aztec cosmogony: her skirt is made with chopped-off hands and snake heads, among other elements. This piece was unearthed in August 1790 in what now is the Zocalo of the City, and Viceroy Revillagigedo ordered it to be taken to the Royal University.
Sun Stone
The most important symbol in Aztec culture. Its elements sum up the ideas about time and space that this culture had. It served as a sort of “ring” for sacred fights between warriors and as a sacrificial stone. The stone signals the four cardinal points, details a 52 year cycle and the 5 cosmogonic eras. In the center, a representation of the Sun god, Tonatiuh, is found. This has become a national symbol of pride that represents the great past of Mexico.
Sacred War’s Teocalli
This monolith is a representation of the political, religious, and natural forces that drove the strength of the Aztec empire. The images found in this piece are: the representation of a ruler, the Sun’s Stone, the Atlachinolli -the symbol of the Great Tenochtitlan where an eagle takes a snake in its beak, and some elements that were part of sacrificial rituals.
Teotihuacan Culture
Sculpture with the face of the dead
This stone disk represents the birth of the Sun in the east and sunset in the west. The lines around the skull represent the path of the sun from the point it rises until it sets. The tongue sticking out was a motif reused later by other cultures and can be found elsewhere in Mexico.
Tolteca Culture
Atlante
The so-called “atlantes” were the divine representation of the warriors that fought in the name of Quetzalcóatl. Because they were part of the elite, they wore headdresses to indicate their high standing and their connection with the divine. They were the symbol of the city of Tula, proof of its majesty, and they gave the warriors strength to succeed in their war enterprises. The atlantes held over their heads the roofs of the Tolteca temples.
Zapotec Culture
Great Jaguar Urn
The jaguar was seen by many as a sacred animal. It represented the earth and fertility. Its roar was considered to be the voice of the mountains, and it was a very common motif in paintings, jewelry, and sculptures. The image of the jaguar was also common in burials and tombs, but it is not clear whether this particular urn served that purpose. In any case, it is a true masterpiece, and it goes to show how highly regarded this animal was for the Zapotec people.
Olmeca Culture
Giant Head
This emblematic giant head is the effigy of an Olmeca ruler whose name is unknown. The band on his forehead is a sign of his high ranking and his outstanding feats as an athlete and warrior. Although we don’t know how old he might have been, his sunken eyes and flabby cheeks might be an indicator of an older person.
Cultures from the center of Veracruz
Cihuateteo, goddess or divine woman
The divine and the feminine were deeply connected in pre-Columbian cultures, as shown in this beautiful piece of a sitting woman wearing a belt made of snakes. It’s a representation of women who died in childbirth and were elevated to a divine existence, just as with warriors who died in battle. Several sculptures like this one have been found in altars and tombs.
Maya Culture
Pakal Tombstone
The awe-inspiring Pakal Tombstone is one of the most exquisite examples of how great ancient Mexican cultures were, both in the spiritual and the physical realm. It was found inside the Temple of The Inscriptions, and the image carved into it is a representation of the underworld that the souls of the dead had to go through. Pakal was one of the Maya rulers who brought the most prosperity the city of Palenque.
Pakal Mask
Jade was a symbol of power, greatness, and high hierarchy for the Maya. Pakal was buried in a mask made with this material to preserve his face and prepare it to face the perils of the underworld while trying to reach the “other side.” The mask was also supposed to help him to keep his soul inside his body, so he would be able to fight the forces of darkness.
Chac Mool
There are many other Chac Mool sculptures in Mesoamerica and even current Central America. It shows a warrior who was sent to capture prisoners to be ritually sacrificed. The first person to uncover this sculpture was the British explorer Augustus Le Plongeon, who gave it the name Chac Mool, and which means “Red Claw.”
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