Pectoral
1 of 2
Object Label
Huastec artisans depicted images of death on exquisitely carved shell ornaments. In this example, four human skulls are shown in profile with incised circular eyes, grimacing mouths with radiating speech scrolls, and hair standing up on end along the sagittal suture. The arrow entering through the eye and exiting through the nose may allude to Tlahuizcalpanteuctli, the Lord of Dawn, who is depicted with skeletal attributes in Mesoamerican codices, or pictorial manuscripts, because he was killed by the Sun God with a dart to the head (see nearby illustration).
Artesanos Huastecas representaban imágenes de muerte en ornamentos de concha exquisitamente tallados. En este ejemplo, cuatro calaveras humanas aparecen de perfil, con ojos circulares incisos, bocas en rictus con volutas de palabra, y cabellos erizados a lo largo de la sutura sagital. La flecha que penetra el ojo y sale por la nariz puede aludir a Tlahuizcalpanteuctli, el Dios del Amanecer, el cual se representa con atributos esqueléticos en los códices Mesoamericanos o manuscritos pictóricos ya que fue asesinado por el Dios Solar con un dardo en la cabeza (ver ilustración).
Caption
Huastec. Pectoral, ca.1250–1521. Shell, 3 9/16 x 13/16 x 3 9/16 in. (9 x 2.1 x 9 cm). Brooklyn Museum, By exchange, 48.149. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 48.149_acetate_bw.jpg)
Gallery
Not on view
Collection
Gallery
Not on view
Collection
Culture
Title
Pectoral
Date
ca.1250–1521
Period
Pre-Spanish
Geography
Place found: Veracruz, Mexico
Medium
Shell
Classification
Dimensions
3 9/16 x 13/16 x 3 9/16 in. (9 x 2.1 x 9 cm)
Credit Line
By exchange
Accession Number
48.149
Rights
Creative Commons-BY
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