Sky throne figure

Sky throne sculpture, stone, Banderilla, Central Veracruz culture, c.650-950 CE, height 0.42 metres. Xalapa Museum of Anthropology, Mexico.

This sculpture presents a man squatting on the steps of a small temple that recalls the architecture of Tajín. Behind him, a sky decorated with volutes, virgules and hooks appears. The individual holds in his hand an object that ends in a sort of sphere that has been interpreted as a mace, in which case he would be a warrior. However, he could also be identified as a dancer, or priest holding a musical instrument while conducting a ceremony.

From Xalapa Museum of Anthropology - a Guided Tour, text by Rubén Morante López, Gobierno del Estado de Veracruz/Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, 2004, p. 138.

Photo by Karel Baresh/Mexicolore.