Mural Fragment Representing a PriestTeotihuacán Fresco

Art Institute of Chicago

Processional Figure with Tassel HeaddressTeotihuacán Fresco

Collection Rushton E. Patterson, Jr.

Teotihuacán MaskAD 300-650

Stone, Shell, Obsidian and Turquoise

Teotihuacán’s Murals

Teotihuacán’s greatest art forms werearchitecture and mural paintings. Facades ofpyramids and interiors of palaces, temples,and homes were frequently decorated withsplendid frescoes. The fragment shown herewas part of a cycle painted on the interior wallsof an aristocratic palace. It shows a rain priestwalking or dancing in profile and wearing anelaborate headdress and costume. His speech-scroll, adorned with seashells and plants,indicates that he is praying for water andagricultural prosperity, which were highlyvalued in his society.

To create the frescoes from which thisfragment came, workmen in Teotihuacánlayered coats of ground lime or stucco over thepalace’s rough walls. The artist then mixed andapplied pigments to the wall while it was stillwet. The colors used were earth tones, such ashematite red and ochre, as well as greens,blues, and whites. Once the composition waspainted or drawn and the painting almost dry,artists would burnish the entire surface with astone until smooth.

Teotihuacán’s murals constitute a primarysource for understanding the city's religion andsocial organization. Found throughout the cityon the walls of apartment compounds such asTetitla. In this mural, a priest prays for waterand agricultural prosperity, as shown by thecurling speech symbols with shells and flowers.Flowers and water are cast from one hand,while the other holds an incense bag. Hewears the goggles that came to be associatedwith Tlaloc, the storm god.

Teotihuacán Masks

Life size stone masks, a signature ofTeotihuacán, may have been attached to thebundled mummified remains of importantdeceased individuals, perhaps serving asoracles. This mask is made of shell, obsidian,and malachite mosaic. The tiny glyph on theforehead may record a name.

ART AND ARTIFACTS

Rulership and War in Teotihuacán:The Temple of the Feathered Serpent

In the first century BCE Central Mexico saw therise of the powerful culture of Teotihuacán. Thegiant city of Teotihuacán was the center of thisculture, which would dominate the politicalhistory of ancient Mexico for the next 800years. With an area of 30 square kilometersand a population of 250.000 inhabitantsTeotihuacán was the largest city of the periodand one of the largest cities in the world. Thepeople of Teotihuacán built monumentaltemples, streets, marketplaces and palacesand decorated them with splendid relief,murals and ground paintings. One of the mostimportant temple was the Temple of theFeathered Serpent in the center of the cityOriginally painted in bright colors this templewas part of the ciudadela or citadel, a complex,which served as dwellings and administrationbuildings for the lords of Teotihuacán.

TeotihuacánPainting by Christiane Clados

“Temple of the Feathered Serpent” (110cm x 150 cm, oil and acrylic)

Two warriors descend the steps of the Templeof the Feathered Serpent. The balustrade ofthe temple is decorated with heads of theFeathered Serpent, the symbol of rulership andfertility in Teotihuacán. The serpent heads arebreaking through water lily pads. Behind it, thestepped façade shows the plumed body of theFeathered Serpent winding its way throughwater, and in the water, shells. The goggle-eyed head of the Turquoise Serpent, thesymbol of war can also be seen. Originally theeyes of the serpent heads were inlaid withvolcanic glass (obsidian), which reflected thesun’s brilliance.

Both warriors wear elaborate headdresses andjewelry of polished jade. The man to the leftwears the tassel headdress, an emblem of thestorm gods of Teotihuacán often worn byTeotihuacán warriors and ambassadors. Hisright arm is protected by cotton armor. Hecarries two spears and a spear thrower, thecommon offensive weaponry of Teotihuacán.The man to the right wears a helmet in theshape of the Feathered Serpent. His shield iscovered with parrot feathers.

Teotihuacán Mask Temple Pyramid of theFeathered SerpentPhotograph Garrett

National Geographic Magazine

The Great Goddess is usually depictedfrontally, with additional motifs pertaining toagricultural fertility. The Storm God is usuallyshown in profile and is identified by hisdistinctive facemask and the lightning boltcarried in his left hand. Animals, includingcoyotes, owls, and jaguars, are also prominentin the murals. The paintings were laid downquickly on thinly plastered walls. Reddominates the color scheme, although blues,yellows, and greens appear. The style is flatand linear, and the primary deities oftenappear in abbreviated versions.