the severed head of coyolxauhqui
The monument called the Head of Coyolxauqui possesses connection to all aspects relates to the lifestyle of a society, which are: social, political, economical, cultural, and religious.
For the social aspect, we have the fact that she was a tecuhtli, which means "noble ruler"; therefore having an important role in society, others looking up to you, and having authority.
As for her political role, her death symbolizes the rise of the Aztec empire. Her brother, Huitzilopochtli, the sun and war god, who was one of the most remarkable deities for the Aztecs, sprung from their mother, Coatlicue's womb and beheaded his sister for trying to kill Coatlicue.
For the economic aspect we can observe that, in all of her monuments, she is wearing gold accessories and adornments on her face, which symbolize wealth.
In the cultural section, there is a myth as well as the clothing she is wearing. She has on a feathered headdress, which relate back to the Feathered Serpent, Quetzalcoatl. As for the myth, it is said that her mother, Coatlicue, was the creator or Earth deity, therefore, feeling her family had been dishonored when she found out that her mother had become magically pregnant by the feathered crown that fell upon her lap, she plotted to kill Coatlicue.
Finally, for the religious aspect, Coyolxauhqui, which means "Woman with Copper Bells on her Cheeks", "Face Painted with Bells", or simply "Golden Bells", is the Aztec Moon Goddess. When Huitzilopochtli beheaded her, he threw her severed head into the sky, where it became the moon.
For the social aspect, we have the fact that she was a tecuhtli, which means "noble ruler"; therefore having an important role in society, others looking up to you, and having authority.
As for her political role, her death symbolizes the rise of the Aztec empire. Her brother, Huitzilopochtli, the sun and war god, who was one of the most remarkable deities for the Aztecs, sprung from their mother, Coatlicue's womb and beheaded his sister for trying to kill Coatlicue.
For the economic aspect we can observe that, in all of her monuments, she is wearing gold accessories and adornments on her face, which symbolize wealth.
In the cultural section, there is a myth as well as the clothing she is wearing. She has on a feathered headdress, which relate back to the Feathered Serpent, Quetzalcoatl. As for the myth, it is said that her mother, Coatlicue, was the creator or Earth deity, therefore, feeling her family had been dishonored when she found out that her mother had become magically pregnant by the feathered crown that fell upon her lap, she plotted to kill Coatlicue.
Finally, for the religious aspect, Coyolxauhqui, which means "Woman with Copper Bells on her Cheeks", "Face Painted with Bells", or simply "Golden Bells", is the Aztec Moon Goddess. When Huitzilopochtli beheaded her, he threw her severed head into the sky, where it became the moon.
The Head of Coyolxauhqui can relate to many monuments from many cultures, but in this case it is compared to the "Chacmools" from the Post-Classic Maya period. The chacmools represent slain warriors carrying offerings to the gods; they are often associated with sacrificial rituals. The relation to the Head of Coyolxauhqui stands in the religious and political aspects. Both of the whom the artefacts represent were slain, killed in battle, or as sacrifice. In the case of the Head of Coyolxauhqui, she was slain by her brother Huitzilopochtli, and became the moon, which would be a part of the religious aspect; but in the case of the Chacmools, they were warriors who died in battle, or were sacrificed by the enemy, therefore being a part of the political aspect.