Offerings to Tlaltecuhtli to be Exhibited at Moctezuma II
MEXICO CITY.- Nearly a hundred Prehispanic objects deposited by Mexica as offerings dedicated to Tlaltecuhtli, goddess of the Earth, will be displayed for the first time at the exhibition Moctezuma II. Tiempo y Destino de un Gobernante (Moctezuma II. Time and Destiny of a Ruler), to be open in the second half of June 2010 in Templo Mayor Museum.
The pieces exhibited at the show organized by the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) are part of 16 offerings located at the Ajaracas Plot, in the Historical Center of Mexico City, in the area where the Tlaltecuhtli monolith was found.
Leonardo Lopez Lujan, director of Templo Mayor Archaeological Project informed that the objects, which present a good conservation state, were placed at the early 16th century as part of the offerings dedicated to Tlaltecuhtli, at the foot of Templo Mayor, during Moctezuma II government. They represent the cosmogony and power of the Tenochtitlan Empire.
- INAH specialists work at offering 126 at the Templo Mayor. Photo: Templo Mayor Project
Among the pieces, wooden masks and scepters, flint knives adorned with Ehecatl symbols, golden ornaments, polychrome censers topped with butterfly heads or eagle claws, rests of marine animals as well as the skeleton of a wolf, stand out.
INAH archaeologist remarked that thanks to the exploration and restoration work conducted during 3 years, the exhibition of this material is possible.
Lopez Lujan pointed out that unlike the exhibition at London, the one to be presented in Mexico City will be enriched with a luxurious conjunct of golden jewels and emblems recovered from the offerings found under Tlaltecuhtli monolith.
“Mexicas called gold cóztic teocuítlatl that means yellow colored divine excrescency and was not as appreciated as chalchihuitl or greenstones. Among golden objects to be exhibited at Moctezuma II are 3 different kinds of bells; ear and nose ornaments, as well as emblems to be worn on the front”.
Archaeologist Lopez Lujan concluded that “offerings provide invaluable information regarding Mexica religion; many of them are true “cosmograms,” miniature models of the Universe as it was conceived then. Priests ingratiated with deities by placing these offerings”.
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