31 May 2025 / 11 Lizard
Warrior teponaztli drum
Warrior teponaztli drum, wooden with shell and obsidian (eyes), Tlaxcalteca culture, Late Postclassic, length 60 cms., Museo Nacional de Antropología, Mexico City.
The teponazli - a horizontal two-toned tongue drum played with beaters - was regarded as a sacred artefact by the Aztecs (Mexica), alongside its ‘partner’, the vertical war drum, the huehuetl, played with the hands. Both were believed to have originally been gods (follow link below to learn more...)
Photo by Ana Landa Laura/Mexicolore.
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