Use and Symbolism of Copper Axes in Tarascan Society during the Late Post-Classic Period in modern day Michoacán, México

Summary

The cultural core of the Tarascan society settled in the region of what is now Michoacán, western Mexico. For the Tarascans, gathering firewood was a sacred activity, and the maintenance of a never-ending fire within their temples or "cues" was an essential part of their religion. This sacred element was an offering for their most venerated god, Curicaueri. Collecting wood was an activity so sacred that even the tools used to retrieve it were transformed into consecrated objects sharing the same taboos as the sacred firewood itself.

This work is about how copper axes became depositories of status in Tarascan society. Through an analysis of the specific use of the ax, the individuals who used them, and the different raw materials used for manufacture, I will analyse how each factor contributed to the significance of copper axes and shaped their role within Tarascan society and their vision of the world.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• New Research in West Mexico: State of Michoacán   •
• Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 17139