Photo Collection of Stephanie Wood

Kislak Collection -- Nahua Objects

Tlaloc Priest
Mexico, Aztec, 1400-1521 C.E.
Basalt stone
Ht: 23"

Images of Tlaloc, the Aztec Rain god, are easily recognizable because of their distinctive goggle eyes, twisted nose, and fanged mouth with a curving upper lip. Tlaloc is often also shown wearing a bonnet of heron feathers, which signify the clouds associated with his coming. This likely represents a deity impersonator. Elaborately carved and possessing more costume detail, this standing Tlaloc figure wears a serpent head and tasseled earspools. The headdress features folded horizontal fans at the back of the head and two long, overlapping flaps that fall from the cap to the waist at the rear. The left hand holds a sphere with a human face. Here the deity's characteristic nose, lips, and eyes are worn as a mask, which is created by a pair of entwined serpents. In general, Tlaloc is associated with the color blue, although in the present example, traces of red paint are present on the stone face.

Photo, ©2004, by Stephanie Wood.