The Personification of Sacrificial Fire: An Undescribed Deity in Imperial Mexica Sculpture

Summary

A recurring theme in H.B. Nicholson’s groundbreaking analysis of Central Mexican deities is the application of a holistic approach to the analysis of Mexica stone sculpture, which includes visual and iconographic analysis, and comparison to early colonial texts. This paper will analyze a poorly understood deity that appears in late Mexica stone sculpture based on Nicholson’s innovative methodology. This fanged being appears only in stone sculpture from the imperial capital, and has previously been interpreted as an earth goddess, Tlaltecuhtli, or the fire god, Xiuhtecuhtli. We argue that this deity is indeed a being of fire and earth, although not the aforementioned deities. Rather, this deity appears as a personified brazier and as a burning bundle of wood, and was likely associated with cremation, sacrifice, and fire ceremonies.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)   •
• Ancient Mexico and the Legacy of Henry B. Nicholson

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 16272