The loss of vital Aztec knowledge is devastating to the cultural history of the Mexico and with proper investigation and speculation, these lost pieces can be put back together. In the lower section of the headdress, an opening was fabricated to fit around the wearer's head. Leather bands were located on the backside of the work and tied around the head to support the headwear securely. Moderately sized azure-tinted quills immediately encompass the opening, forming a half oval design and the first of four-color variations. A petite strip of ruby shaded feathers follows the azure perimeter. Continuing outward to the second to last row of feathers, the headdress contains a border arranged from a mixture of green and bronze colored quills. This
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The Aztec Goddess of Water relief showed in Figure 2 displays a large headdress. Feathers surround the wearer's face and highlights similar circular and rectangular decorative elements that are seen on the Aztec headdress. Close inspection by Smithsonian Center for Materials Research and Education senior ceramic scientist Pamela B. Vandiver confirms that the relief carries remains of blue, green and yellow pigments used on the rain goddess headdress.1 The comparable feathered headdress displays matching colors. The “Figurine of a Warrior” from the Cleveland Museum of Art is another example that helps illustrate the similarities of the art pieces (Fig 3). The small figurine’s feathers are petite compared to the other pieces, however, the design elements remain rather comparable. Feathers are positioned around the head with a more prominent feather decoration extending out atop of the head. Subtle yet ornate circle features are located at the base of the blooming feathers. The formal qualities of these three pieces hold similar design elements but the size of one’s headdress varied by their status. The details on the Aztec warrior are inferior to the other two examples and would place him lower on the social ladder.2 You could assume that the warrior (Fig 3) holds less power within the Aztec empire compared to the Goddess of Water (Fig
The Aztec Goddess of Water relief showed in Figure 2 displays a large headdress. Feathers surround the wearer's face and highlights similar circular and rectangular decorative elements that are seen on the Aztec headdress. Close inspection by Smithsonian Center for Materials Research and Education senior ceramic scientist Pamela B. Vandiver confirms that the relief carries remains of blue, green and yellow pigments used on the rain goddess headdress.1 The comparable feathered headdress displays matching colors. The “Figurine of a Warrior” from the Cleveland Museum of Art is another example that helps illustrate the similarities of the art pieces (Fig 3). The small figurine’s feathers are petite compared to the other pieces, however, the design elements remain rather comparable. Feathers are positioned around the head with a more prominent feather decoration extending out atop of the head. Subtle yet ornate circle features are located at the base of the blooming feathers. The formal qualities of these three pieces hold similar design elements but the size of one’s headdress varied by their status. The details on the Aztec warrior are inferior to the other two examples and would place him lower on the social ladder.2 You could assume that the warrior (Fig 3) holds less power within the Aztec empire compared to the Goddess of Water (Fig