Mask of Tlaloc (UEB contracted)
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- Synopsis
- This striking mask is in the form of two entwined serpents, one green and one blue, and is believed to represent Quetzalcoatl (the feathered serpent) or the rain god Tlaloc. Both deities are associated with serpents. The priest that served Tlaloc in the Great Temple may have worn such a mask during rituals. The mask is 18.2 cm high by 16.5 cm wide and 12.5 cm deep. The mask is carved from a single piece of wood (Cedrela odorata) with circular holes for the eyes and a slit for the mouth that would have been surrounded by teeth made from white conch shell although only four teeth now remain. The front of the mask is covered with a mosaic of different sized polished fragments of irregular shaped turquoise, now damaged in places. The turquoise recalls luxuriant green foliage and life-giving water. Mosaic feathers flank the face and may have been part of a larger head ornament composed of quetzal-bird feathers. The two serpents encircle the eyes and are entwined over the nose and around the mouth. The serpent tails finish at the temples with rattles that are moulded in relief and were originally gilded. The serpent heads protrude under the lower jaw. There are two tactile images of the mask - a front view and a side view. Both have been created at the same scale so that they can be compared and follow the lines and shapes as closely as possible. Each tactile image has a key at the top of the page and is approximately the same size as the actual object. The shape of the serpents and outline of the mosaic feathers are shown as thick lines infilled with the relevant texture shown in the keys. The rattles and teeth are shown as solid shapes with no texture for the eye holes and slit mouth.
- Copyright:
- 2011
Book Details
- Book Quality:
- Excellent
- Publisher:
- RNIB
- Date of Addition:
- 04/24/17
- Copyrighted By:
- RNIB
- Adult content:
- No
- Language:
- English
- Has Image Descriptions:
- No
- Categories:
- Animals
- Submitted By:
- Deborah Morton
- Proofread By:
- N/A
- Usage Restrictions:
- This is a copyrighted book.