Ultimate headgear

Replica of ‘Moctezuma’s crown’ in Mexico

Moctezuma II’s famous headdress now resides in Vienna, Austria, and most Mexicans feel it deserves to be returned to its original home in Mexico. In the spectacular Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City is this magnificent replica. Experts aren’t entirely sure that it did belong to Moctezuma: the crown of the Aztec ruler (as you can see in the Codex Mendoza) was a turquoise diadem, not a feather headdress. (Written/compiled by Ian Mursell/Mexicolore)

‘The great quetzal headdress was found in the 18th. century in a storage chest at Ambras Castle in the Tyrol... It is the most dramatic object in feathers that we have. The headdress is amost 46 inches high, made primarily of green quetzal and blue cotinga feathers with gold disks. Originally the piece also had 500 quetzal tail-feathers, taken from at least 250 birds; several quetzal feathers were removed and worn by the Archduke of Bavaria and his horse... By 1566, when the headdress was listed in an inventory of the castle, its Pre-Columbian origin had been lost and it was called “a moorish hat”.’ (Info from ‘Aztec Art’ by Esther Pasztory, p. 280)

How it might have looked... This painting by Roberto Cueva del Río shows just how magnificent Moctezuma’s priceless headdress might have appeared on the eve of the Spanish Conquest: however, no-one knows for sure if this item really was part of the ‘costumes of the gods’ given to Cortés at the time of the Conquest; as Esther Pasztory writes ‘the origin and function of this unusual headdress remain a mystery...’

Following on from Lisa’s question (below), there is evidence from before the Conquest of such headdresses being worn by other Aztec rulers as status symbols: on the famous Stone of Tizoc (now in the National Museum of Anthropology, Mexico City) the ruler can clearly be shown in battle dress wearing a humming-bird helmet with a great quetzal-feather crown. It’s always worth remembering that to the Aztecs nothing was more precious than the finest green feathers of the quetzal bird from the distant tropical rainforests of (now) Central America: exotic, expensive, the best...!

Picture sources:-
Photos of headdress and folding screen painting by Ian Mursell/Mexicolore
Photo of Tizoc stone detail by Ana Laura Landa/Mexicolore
Scan of Moctezuma’s diadem from the Codex Mendoza (original in the Bodleian Library, Oxford)

Watch a short video from smarthistory on this headdress, aimed at art history students

Comments (7)

Cosca cuauhtli

22nd Jan 2019

Its definetly to show rank. I danced in a mexica dance group and everything worn is earned . you need to know what it represented and how to care for it and what it means. From head to toe. Atleast in my group. If you didnt know what your wearing or what it represented then your teacher failed you and you shouldnt just be wearing it. Its an honor to wear a regalia. Its blood sweat and tears. It took me years to be able to wear guacamaya feathers . imagine eagle feathers. Even the way your head dress is designed and the cones in it have meaning. Florkorico dancers and aztec dancers are not the same. Thanks for having this page and your interest in our culture.

Mexicolore

Many thanks for this contribution, which clearly comes from the heart and also, very importantly, from personal experience...

thaserg

26th Jan 2012

That copilli(headress) was given to one who has reached the rank of Quetzalcoatl(feathered serpent) NOT a GOD. The title of quetzalcoatl was given to some who have earned the right to wear those feathers. Quetzalcoatl means literally feathered or beautiful serpent.Serpents represent growth, change, transformation. When one reached the point of Quetzalcoatl. That is the highest point of knowledge. Kind of like Buddhism.

chikoazeozomatli

7th Jul 2009

It will be very nice if espana return everything that they took from the mexicatl and the rest of the American continent . not only espania all other ones that took anyhting from our land

ally

30th Aug 2008

why is it important to preserve this primary source (headress) for future generations

Mexicolore

Well, it's a bit like the Crown Jewels, isn't it? Unique, expensive, hugely symbolic, kept in the Tower of London since 1303: there's a hell of a lot of history behind them...!

ally

30th Aug 2008

when was this headress made and what was the process and materials the aztecs wold have used to build it. so when was the headress made, how did they make it and what materials did they use to make it???

Mexicolore

You can learn more about this here -
https://www.mexicolore.co.uk/aztecs/artefacts/moctezumas-headdress-an-update

lisa

19th May 2008

what was this headdress used for?
why is it important?
**more imformation***

Mexicolore

Most such splendid feather objects were 'standards' attached to a bamboo framework and worn on high-ranking army officers' backs, rather than 'crowns' for emperors. But there is some evidence that feather headdresses WERE used as part of 'royal or ritual regalia' (Esther Pasztory); a bit like a peacock's plumage, this sort of headdress, whether worn on the battlefield or at a major festival, was very much used to display the highest rank and wealth: its owner 'dressed to impress'!

esmeralda

14th Apr 2008

What has been done to get the headdress back to Mexico? If indeed this headdress is of Moctezuma, then it should be returned to Mexico. This is a cherished and valuable artifact that the Mexican people would want back.

Mexicolore

We entirely agree, Esmeralda! We'll try and get a Mexican with detailed knowledge of this to provide us all with more background information...

Replica of ‘Moctezuma’s crown’ in Mexico