31 May 2025 / 11 Lizard
Resting jaguar
Resting jaguar, stone, Mexica-Aztec, c. 1325-1521 CE, Ethnological Museum, Berlin (collected by Carl Uhde in the 1830s).
The nocturnal jaguar stands for the sun as it makes its nightly journey through the underworld, the so-called night sun. The artist has made the spots of the animal’s fur palpable. The pupils, made of polished black obsidian, lend additional vitality to the sculpture.
From the museum display caption.
Photo kindly taken and sent by Rob from Germany.
More Aztec Artefacts
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