Aztecs · Mesoamerica14th–16th c.
Xiutecuhtli Mask
Mosaic mask of the fire and renewal god. Turquoise, obsidian and shell create a face that blazes at the sacrificial fire.
- Material
- Turquoise · Obsidian · Shell
- Type
- Ritual
CEREMONIAL MASKS
Twelve Masks, Twelve Stories.
"Mask" is a broad museum term. These records lead to theater, funerary rites, fire ceremonies and objects never meant to be worn. Every mask keeps its own context.
8 documented masks
Descriptions are based on archaeological finds and museum records. Names below are demonstration entries for this educational project.
Maya · Calakmul600–900 CE
Kinich-Ahau Jade Mask
Mask of the sun god found in a ruler's tomb. Jade symbolized eternity; gold inlays — divine light.
- Material
- Jade · Gold
- Type
- Funerary
Maya · Tikal300–600 CE
Mask with Rosette Ear Flares
Jade mask with separate rosette ear flares. Mother-of-pearl eyes created a living gaze in candlelight.
- Material
- Jade · Mother-of-pearl
- Type
- Ceremonial
Maya · Bonampak700–800 CE
Ruler Mask Fragment
Fragmentary mask of rare dark jade. Traces of red pigmentation indicate use in blood rituals.
- Material
- Dark jade
- Type
- Royal
◆
Olmecs · La Venta1200–400 BCE
"Jaguar" Jade Mask
Mask blending human features with those of the jaguar — the Olmecs' sacred animal. Used in shamanic transformation rituals.
- Material
- Jadeite · Serpentine
- Type
- Shamanic
●
Toltecs · Tula900–1150 CE
Quetzalcoatl Mask
Mask of the "Feathered Serpent" — god of wind and knowledge. Carving imitates scales and feathers, symbolizing sky and earth united.
- Material
- Basalt · Pigment
- Type
- Theatrical
♦
Zapotecs · Monte Albán500 BCE–750 CE
Death Mask from Tomb 105
Posthumous portrait mask found in a tomb with wall paintings. Points to beliefs in the afterlife as a continuation of living.
- Material
- Ceramic · Paint
- Type
- Funerary
✦
Mixtecs · Oaxaca1400–1521 CE
"Double" Mosaic Mask
Adorned with turquoise and gold, depicting the "tonal" — a person's spirit double. Used in birth and death rituals.
- Material
- Wood · Turquoise · Gold
- Type
- Spiritual