Armadillo sculpture

Armadillo sculpture, stone, Aztec, c. 1325-1521 CE, Ethnological Museum, Berlin (collected by Carl Uhde in the 1830s).

The armadillo is native to the Aztec region and belongs to a group of frequently depicted animals. Here, the sculptor has represented even the smallest details. The reason is that the Aztecs venerated and observed all of nature: humans, animals, plants, elements and celestial bodies.

From the Museum display caption.

Photo kindly taken and sent by Rob from Germany.