Aztec sculpture of a double-headed serpent. It’s a snake with two heads made primarily of turquoise and mounted on a hardwood base. It is believed to have originated in Aztec Mexico and was worn or displayed in sacred rites. Turquoise, spiny oyster shell, and conch shell are used to create the mosaic. The sculpture is currently on display at the British Museum.
An undulating serpent with heads on each side is depicted in the artwork. The sculpture’s base is made of a single block of cedar wood (Cedrela odorata). The back side of the sculpture has been scooped out, possibly to make it lighter. Only the heads contain ornamentation on both sides, while the rear, which was formerly gilded, is now plain. The two-headed snake’s exterior body is coated in a turquoise mosaic with red spiny oyster accents. Small, flat tesserae of turquoise stones were broken and attached to the wooden body with pine resin.
The flat chunks of stone give the impression of a faceted, curvilinear surface by using 2,000 little pieces. Stone tools were used to cut and grind the turquoise. Some turquoise was brought to Mesoamerica from the Four Corners Region of Oasisamerica, about 1,600 kilometers to the northwest, where the Ancestral Pueblo people mined the stone.
The serpents’ heads contain openings for eyes, and traces of beeswax and resin may have originally housed eye-like objects, such as orbs of iron pyrite (Fool’s Gold). Oyster shell and conch shell were used to create the striking contrast of red and white elements on the head.
To finish the pattern, the glue used to connect the Spondylus princeps shell was dyed with red iron oxide (hematite). The white shell used for the teeth is made from edible queen conch shells.
It’s unclear how this sculpture got out of Mexico, although it’s probable it was among the treasures captured by conquistador Hernán Cortés when he conquered Mexico’s interior for the Spanish crown. In 1519, Cortés arrived on the coast of what is now Mexico, and following fights, he entered the city on November 8, 1519, where he was greeted with respect, if not favor, by Aztec king Moctezuma II (Montezuma). According to some versions, Moctezuma mistook Cortés for the feathered serpent god Quetzalcoatl and treated him as such. Cortés was presented with a plethora of costly presents, including turquoise statues and perhaps this serpent. Despite the presents and the pleasant welcome, Moctezuma was captured by Cortés, who took Tenochtitlan, Moctezuma’s capital, in 1521. Despite their benevolence, the Aztecs were mercilessly and methodically enslaved and slaughtered. They were then infected with smallpox and other European diseases that Cortés and his army had brought to Mexico.
Other turquoise mosaics are said to have ended their days in jewellers’ shops in Florence, where they were dismantled to make more contemporary objects. The Cortés antiquities arrived in Europe in the 1520s and sparked great interest; however, it is said that other turquoise mosaics ended their days in jewellers’ shops in Florence, where they were dismantled to make more contemporary objects. Henry Christy is credited by Neil Macgregor with collecting similar relics for the British Museum. The Christy Fund purchased the sculpture from an undisclosed location and donated it to the British Museum.
The British Museum has nine Mexican turquoise mosaics, including this one. Only 25 Mexican turquoise mosaics from this time are thought to exist in Europe.
The symbolic importance of serpent imagery has been suggested by a number of hypotheses. Because of its capacity to leave its old skin and reappear as a regenerated snake, it has been suggested that the serpent was a symbol of rebirth. It could have been a representation of the earth and the underworld, with each head corresponding to one of the two. The serpent is prominent among the gods in Aztec Mythology that the people revered. In Mixtec religion, the feathered serpent god Quetzalcoatl was revered as a patron of priests and a symbol of death and resurrection, but other gods had serpentine traits as well. Green and serpents were both symbols of fertility, and most Aztec rites focused on guaranteeing land fertility. Turquoise was associated with new growth, water, and the Quetzal bird’s feathers, which were worn by priests during rites. The gaping jaws and vivid blue skin were meant to both impress and terrify the viewer.
The Mixtecs, not the Aztecs, were the most well-known artisans for their turquoise mosaics. Many Mixtec communities that were conquered by the Aztecs were forced to pay tribute to the monarch, including gold and turquoise gifts. This serpent would have been a significant tribute gift, serving as a symbol of the Aztecs’ ferocity.
Below is the best design that Mexica Double Head Serpent Aztec Inspired for you:
Aztec Double Head Serpent Maya Aztec Calendar
The Aztec Double Head Serpent Design is an ancient symbol that was originally found on the facade of the House of Eagles. It has also been used in many other places, including Mesoamerican pottery and codices. It consists of two intertwined serpents with their heads replaced by human skulls. The design is believed to represent warriors who died in battle or sacrificial victims who would be decapitated at temples during ritual ceremonies. This symbol can also be interpreted as the duality between life and death, good and evil, light and darkness.
Aztec Double Head Serpent Maya Aztec Calendar
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