30 May 2025 / 10 House
Article suitable for Top Juniors and above
Find out moreAztec symbol for protector
ORIGINAL QUESTION received from - and thanks to - Marcel Misdorp: I would like to know if there is an Aztec symbol for protector (or protection or father or shield). The reason for my query is that I would like to get a tattoo with my children’s hand print within a protective image. And the Aztec civilisation always interested me. (Answered by Ian Mursell/Mexicolore)
It’s logical to think first of all of an Aztec god - the first that comes to mind might well be Quetzalcóatl, Feathered Serpent, creator and protector of life; but Aztec gods have many different aspects to them, reflecting the duality of all life around us. What’s more, their emblems tend to be rather complicated. If you want to learn more about Quetzalcóatl, have a look at our feature on DH Lawrence and the Plumed Serpent, below.
We think you’d be better off going for the iconic Aztec shield symbol, called chimalli. The shield was more than just a protective tool in war, it was a status symbol. Read more about it in our ‘Aztec Artefacts’ section (follow link below).
To see dozens and dozens of colour illustrations of Aztec shields, there’s no better source, to our mind, than Chronofus’s comprehensive online Simple Guide to an Aztec Wargaming Army. Follow the link below and click on ‘Aztec shields, suits and back banners’.
November 2008:-
Well, here’s the final result from Marcel! Let’s hope everyone else is as impressed as we are here at Mexicolore... Please send in your comments!
Picture sources:-
• Main image from the Codex Mendoza (original in the Bodleian Library, Oxford) scanned from our own copy of the James Cooper Clark facsimile edition, London, 1938
• Shield-and-arrows illustrations scanned from ‘The Aztecs: People of the Sun’ by Alfonso Caso, illustrated by Miguel Covarrubias, University of Oklahoma Press, 1958
Comments (2)
Katia of Tonkam
16th Aug 2011
That tattoo is beautiful, and the message it carries is beautiful too.
Marcel Misdorp
24th Aug 2008
I wanted to tell you that your information has inspired me. The information [image] in relation to the Aztec 4-arrows+shield is exactly what I was looking for... I will incorporate the hand prints from my family within the circle and probably keep the original drawing intact. I might also incorporate the color turquoise as the background color. Anyway, I will let this sink in to inspire myself maybe even more... If you have other 4-arrows+shield images I would appreciate it.
Mexicolore
Cheers, Marcel. We've added some shield-and-arrow images which may help you a little more. We look forward to seeing the tattoo...!
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