Detail from "Turquoise Mosaic of a
double-headed serpent"
Mixtec - Aztec (AD 1400 - 1521) - British
Museum, London, England.Doubled-headed or paired
serpents are an enduring theme in Mesoamerican mythology and religion.
In the
Aztec language, Nahuatl, the word "coatl" means serpent or twin and forms part
of the
name of important deities such as Quetzalcoatl and Coatlicue.
This mosaic was probably made by Mixtec artisans working for the Aztec
Royal Court, and
may have been among the treasures given by the Emperor
Mocetuzohma II to Cortes
upon his arrival on the coast of Mexico in 1519.
( Back to Illustrated Theme)
