Water Goddess,15thñearly 16th century; Aztec
Aztec peoples; Mexico, Central Highlands
Height 11-3/5 inches
00.5.72
Aztec deity images include female fertility figures such as this
example of Chalchiuhtlicue, goddess of water and springs. The serene
gaze, which probably had inlays for eyes, invites the viewer to meditate
and pray. These sculptures could be found in great quantities throughout
Mexico, in sacred places such as caves, springs, and roadside shrines.
Baquedano, Elizabeth. Aztec Sculpture. London: British Museum
Publications, 1984.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art: The Pacific Islands, Africa, and
the Americas. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1987.
Pasztory, Esther. Aztec Art. NY: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., Publishers,
1983.
