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patrickkapty.bsky.social
Crab Vessel
Clay, pigment
c. 100 BCE to 250 CE
Colima culture
Mexico

#handmade #crab #vessel #Colima #culture #Mexico #Mesoamerica #precolumbian #prehispanic #ancientart #art #sculpture #ancientmexico #precolumbianpottery #pottery
September 10, 2026 at 6:19 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Skull Mask
carved stone
Aztec (Mexica) culture
c. 1350-1520 CE
Mexico

#handmade #carved #stone #mask #skull #Aztec #Mexica #culture #cdmx #Mexico #Mesoamerica #precolumbian #prehispanic #ancientart #ancientsculpture #precolumbianart #precolumbiansculpture #art #sculpture #ancientMexico #aztecmask
September 25, 2026 at 6:41 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Mosaic Shield
turquoise, shell mosaic on wood
c. 1200-1500 CE
Mixtec culture
Oaxaca, Mexico

#handmade #turquoise #shell #mosaic #inlay #wood #shield #ceremonial #ritual #MixtecCulture #Oaxaca #Mexico #ancientart #art #sculpture #ancientMexico #precolumbian #precolumbianart #prehispanic #mesoamerica
September 28, 2026 at 11:55 AM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Seated figure
carved greenstone
900-600 BCE
Olmec culture
Mexico

#handmade #carved #green #stone #seatedfigure #olmec #olmecculture #mesoamerica #ancientmexico #prehispanic #precolumbian #ancientculture #sculpture #art #ancientart #precolumbianjade #nephrite #stone #carvedstone
March 26, 2026 at 2:47 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Royal Profile
sandstone and pigment
650-800 CE
Late Classic Maya
Mexico

#royalprofile #Maya #mayanculture #mexico #mesoamerica #prehispanic #precolumbian #ancientart #ancientsculpture #mayanroyalty #profile #art #craft #stone #sculpture #ancientmexico #handmade #carved
April 27, 2026 at 6:58 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Maya Noblewoman holding a Quincunx
ceramic, pigments
c. 600-900 CE
Late Classic
Maya Culture
Mexico

#handmade #ceramic #pigments #noblewoman #quincunx #religion #belief #cosmos #fourdirections #center #spiritual #precolumbian #ancientmexico #ancientart #art #sculpture #prehispanic #MayaCulture
September 12, 2026 at 2:33 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Skull sculpture
carved obsidian
c. 1200-1521 CE
Aztec (Mexica) culture
Mexico

#handmade #carved #obsidian #aztec #mexica #skull #sculpture #art #ancientart #aztecart #ritual #religion #ancestors #magic #sorcery #mesoamerica #prehispanic #precolumbian #ancientmexico #mexico #britishmuseum #culture
May 6, 2026 at 3:20 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Olmec mask
carved stone
900 - 400 BCE
Veracruz, Mexico

#olmec #mexico #mesoamerica #ancient #precolumbian #prehispanic #carved #stone #mask #olmecmask #handmade #ancientart #art #archeology #culture #ancientamericas #ancientmexico
September 26, 2025 at 4:03 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Seated animal
terracotta, pigments
c. 600-900 CE
Remojadas culture
Veracruz, Mexico

#handmade #art #ancientart #remojadasculture #veracruz #mexico #ancientamericas #ancientmexico #mexico #mesoamerica #prehispanic #precolumbian #terracotta #animal #coatimundi #ritual #religion #burial #funeral
May 11, 2026 at 3:31 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Mask of a King
carved jade
circa 900-600 BCE
Olmec culture
Mexico

#handmade #carved #jade #olmec #mask #king #ancientart #art #precolumbianjade #ancientjade #mesoamerica #mexico #olmecculture #prehispanic #precolumbian #tribalart #tribal #c900BCE #ancientmexico #sculpture #ancientsculpture
May 25, 2026 at 1:54 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Mosaic Mask
turquoise, shell, on wood
c. 1322-1422 CE
Mixtec culture
Oaxaca, Mexico

#handmade #mosaic #turquoise #shell #mask #MixtecCulture #Oaxaca #Mexico #Mesoamerica #ancientart #art #sculpture #ritual #ceremonial #religion #belief #precolumbian #prehispanic #precolumbianart #ancientmexico
Mixtec mosaic masks are beautiful works of art made by the Mixtec people of ancient Mexico. They were often decorated with small pieces of turquoise, stone, shell, and other materials. These masks represented gods, ancestors, or important people and were used in religious and ceremonial contexts. Their detailed designs and bright colors show the great skill and craftsmanship of Mixtec artists.
September 28, 2026 at 9:04 AM
iamthepaulina.bsky.social
🇲🇽 ＭＥＸＩＣＯ 🇲🇽
#MexicanHistory #AncientMexico #MexicoBeforeSpain #HiddenHistory #IndigenousMexico #ForgottenEmpires #TheRealMexico #DecolonizeHistory
August 17, 2025 at 10:15 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Plate in the Form of a Jaguar with Interior Painted with Floral-Like Motif
ceramic and pigment
200–700 CE
Maya
Mexico

#Maya #mexico #mesoamerica #ancientculture #ancientart #art #handmade #ceramic #jaguar #floral #plate #ancientmexico #ancientamericanart #ancientpeoplesofmexico #archeology
March 24, 2025 at 2:32 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Xochipilli, the god of flowers, plants, and music
clay and pigments
1200-1400 CE
Aztec
Mexico

#handmade #ceramic #clay #pigments #religion #art #xochipilli #aztec #prince #god #flowers #plants #music #sport #mexico #mesoamerica #precolumbian #prehispanic #sculpture #ancientart #ancientmexico
Xochipilli, the “Flower Prince,” was the god of flowers and patron of music, song, dance, and gambling. Under his other name, Macuilxochitl, he was also the patron deity of the ballgame, in which betting was a common practice. The god figure is seated with his legs drawn towards him and his arms resting across his knees. He wears a loincloth and sandals, and his head is adorned with the feather crest of the tropical quetzal bird, whose song is the first to be heard at dawn.
March 27, 2026 at 3:18 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Were-Jaguar Bib Mask Pendant
carved blue-green stone
c. 1200-400 BCE
Olmec culture
Mexico

#handmade #werejaguar #anthropomorphic #bibmask #pendant #jewelry #olmec #culture #mesoamerica #mexico #ancientmexico #ancientart #ancientjewelry #jewelrydesign #precolumbian #prehispanic #precolumbianjade
Shown is an ancient Mesoamerican greenstone or jade votive maskette pendant from the Olmec culture dating to the Preclassic period (approx. 1200–400 BCE), featuring the characteristic downturned "were-jaguar" mouth and almond-shaped eyes. Carved and polished pale green stone (such as jadeite or serpentine) with drilled details at the eye corners and mouth. Displays a stern or snarling anthropomorphic expression with a distinct central brow cleft associated with Olmec divinity concepts. Origin is from Mesoamerica (primarily the Gulf Lowlands or Guerrero regions of modern-day Mexico). An Olmec bib mask is a specific type of ancient Mesoamerican jade or greenstone pendant carved with an extended lower portion resembling a bib. It typically depicts a stylized human or supernatural face—often a "were-jaguar" with a snarling, downturned mouth. The stone below the chin is elongated or broad, looking like a protective lapel or pectoral collar attached to the face. Unlike full-sized burial face masks, these smaller carved greenstone pieces feature drilled perforations meant to be worn around the neck as high-status pendants or chest ornaments by Olmec elite and shamans. Made of prized blue-green jadeite, they symbolized maize, water, and fertility.
August 26, 2026 at 5:23 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Seated crowned female figure
terracotta, pigment
c. 450-750 CE
Veracruz culture
Mexico

#handmade #terracotta #ancientart #ancientsculpture #veracruzculture #mexico #art #sculpture #veracruzart #classic #seatedwoman #crown #precolumbian #prehispanic #mesoamerica #ancientmexico #precolumbiansculpture
In the Veracruz region, on the Gulf Coast of Mexico, ceramic productions of the Classic period are distinguished by the quality of their modeling and the richness of their human representations. Adorned female figures, identifiable by their elaborate ornaments and headdresses, are generally associated with individuals of high status. The cross-legged seated posture, stable and composed, gives the figure a timeless presence. The careful attention devoted to the details of the jewelry and the surface treatment of the slip highlights the skill of the workshops, serving a controlled and hieratic representation.
July 3, 2026 at 8:36 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Standing Stone Figure
carved stone
c. 300-100 BCE
Mezcala culture
Guerrero, Mexico

#handmade #carved #stone #standing #figure #Mezcala #culture #Guerrero #Mexico #ancientart #ancientsculpture #art #sculpture #Mesoamerica #ancientMexico #precolumbian #prehispanic #precolumbianart #Mezcalasculpture
The Mezcala culture (sometimes referred to as the Balsas culture) is the name given to a Mesoamerican culture that was based in the southern Mexican state of Guerrero in the upper Balsas River region. The culture is poorly understood but is believed to have developed during the Middle and Late Preclassic periods of Mesoamerican chronology between 700 and 200 BC. The culture continued into the Classic period (c.250-650 AD) when it coexisted with the great metropolis of Teotihuacan. Mezcala-style sculpture is characterised by abstract facial features, suggested by lines and differences in texture. The Mezcala sculptural style emphasizes geometric abstraction in both human figures and architectural models. The sculptural style of the Mezcala culture may have been influenced by the Olmecs. In turn, it may have influenced the development of sculpture at the Classic-period metropolis of Teotihuacan in the Valley of Mexico. Later civilizations, like the Aztecs, valued Mezcala items; archaeologists have found Mezcala standing figures and artifacts buried as offerings inside the Templo Mayor in Mexico City.
September 21, 2026 at 2:15 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Female Figurine
Ceramic and pigment
500–300 BCE
Chupícuaro
Guanajuato or Michoacán, Mexico

#precolumbian #prehispanic #mesoamerica #ancient #clay #femalefigure #chupicuaro #guanajuato #handmade #circa300BCE #mochoacan #mexico #aic #artsoftheamericas #ancientmexico #archeology #art #ancientart
January 23, 2025 at 5:54 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Seated figure
carved green stone (albitite)
c. 900-300 BCE
Olmec culture
Mexico

#handmade #carved #greenstone #albitite #seated #figure #olmecfigure #olmecculture #mesoamerica #ancientmexico #mexico #fertilityfigure #conchshell #water #plants #feathers #vegetation #agriculture #precolumbian #art
Like their contemporaries, the Olmec made figurines but of greenstone rather than clay. This one, whose identity and use are mysterious, holds objects that may address nature's fertility: on the right, perhaps a cut conch shell that refers to water, and on the left, what may be a plant or a bundle of green feathers that symbolizes new vegetation.
June 24, 2026 at 3:30 PM
athenainusato.bsky.social
古代メキシコ展で買ったメガネ拭きをメガネケースに入れたら、明るくて楽しい色なので、開けるたびに楽しい気持ちになってる
#AncientMexico
February 20, 2024 at 11:18 AM
srbigbear.bsky.social
Coyolxauhqui

#ArteDigital #Ilustración #DibujoHechoAMano #ArteHistórico #Coyolxauhqui #MexicaGoddess #AztecMythology #PrehispanicArt #MexicanCulture #AncientMexico #MoonGoddess #AztecHistory #MesoamericanArt #TempleMayor #AztecLegend #Coyolxauhqui #DiosaMexica #MitologíaMexica
February 4, 2025 at 4:43 AM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Incredibly modern but made by an Aztec artisan over 600 years ago!

#aztec #carved #obsidian #art #artwork #tribalart #archeology #aztecart #mesoamericanart #mexico #ancientmexico #precolumbian #prehispanic #aztecskull #rebirth #cyclical #lifeanddeath #diadelosmuertos #remembrance
For the Aztecs, skulls held profound spiritual significance, symbolizing death, rebirth, and the continuation of life. They were used in rituals to honor the dead, displayed as trophies, and believed to represent the "seeds" that ensured humanity's continued existence. Skulls were also incorporated into art and architecture, reflecting the Aztecs' complex beliefs about the afterlife and the cyclical nature of life and death. Aztecs believed in a cyclical view of life and death, where death was not an end but a transition to another realm. Skulls, as reminders of mortality, were seen as a gateway to the afterlife and the renewal of life. The Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos), which has roots in ancient Aztec rituals, continues to use skulls as a symbol of honoring the deceased and their return.
April 23, 2025 at 3:16 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Green stone Face Mask
Olmec Civilization
10th-6th century BCE

#olmec #mesoamerica #ancientmexico #carved #greenstone #face #mask #carving #precolumbian #prehispanic #archeology #handmade #art #ancientart #mexico
In Mesoamerica, jade and other green stones held immense cultural and symbolic importance, being prized for their green color, associated with life, water, and fertility, and used in religious objects, royal adornments, and burial rituals The Olmec civilization thrived in the Preclassic or Formative period of Mesoamerica, roughly from 1500 BCE to 400 BCE, primarily in the Gulf Coast region of Mexico, encompassing the present-day states of Veracruz and Tabasco. The Olmec civilization is what is known as an archaeological culture. This means there is a collection of artifacts thought by archaeologists to represent a particular society. What is known about archaeological cultures is based on artifacts, rather than texts. In the case of the Olmec, archaeologists think artifacts found primarily on the northern half of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in Mesoamerica from 1200–500 B.C.E. timeframe represent the Olmec society. The name Olmec was actually invented by scholars. Derived from the Nahuatl (Aztec) word “Olmecatl”, which means “inhabitant of the rubber country”, Olmec is a reference to the rubber production in the area where many of the artifacts have been found. San Lorenzo and La Venta are the most significant Olmec centers. San Lorenzo was at its height around 1150 to 900 B.C.E. La Venta reached its height in about 900–500 B.C.E. Research at these and other sites has led to the following insights. The Olmec created massive monuments, including colossal stone heads, thrones, stela (upright slabs), and statues. They may have been the originators of the Mesoamerican ball game, a ceremonial team sport played throughout the region for centuries. They also built earthen mounds and pyramids, and ceramics of several types that became common throughout a broad region influenced by the Olmec civilization.
April 5, 2025 at 6:21 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Spider form vessel
terracotta
300 BCE - 300 CE
Colima culture
Mexico

#spider #vessel #colimaculture #mesoamerica #ancientmexico #mexico #handmade #terracotta #weaver #spiritual #shafttombs #guardian #fertility #afterlife #water #rain #lifeanddeath
Spiders in the Colima culture of ancient West Mexico (ca. 300 BC – 600 AD) were significant symbolic figures often depicted in terracotta zoomorphic vessels. These ceramic pieces, commonly found in shaft tombs, suggest that spiders held a complex, likely supernatural, role in their cosmology, connecting the earthly realm with the underworld. Spiders are frequently represented in burial contexts, suggesting they functioned as protective entities or spiritual guardians for the deceased in the shaft tombs. Similar to other Mesoamerican traditions, the spider was seen as a "weaver" of reality, representing the creative force and the ability to rebuild or transform, often linked to the cycles of life and death. n broader pre-Hispanic contexts, including the nearby, roughly contemporary cultures in Peru (Cupisnique), spider imagery is closely associated with water, rain, and fertility, acting as a deity that brings necessary life forces. Facebook
March 10, 2026 at 5:07 PM
patrickkapty.bsky.social
Grasshopper Throne
carved stone
c. 1350-1500 CE
Purépecha culture
Michoacán, Mexico

#handmade #carved #stone #grasshopper #design #throne #chair #purépecha #culture #michoacán #mexico #mesoamerica #ancientmexico #ancientart #ancientsculpture #sculpture #art #precolumbian #prehispanic #elite #ruler
The Purépecha are an indigenous people centered in the highlands of Michoacán, Mexico, historically renowned for successfully resisting the Aztec Empire and mastering early bronze and copper metallurgy. Formed a powerful pre-Columbian state around Lake Pátzcuaro. Defeated the Aztecs in the 1470s and maintained independence until Spanish forces arrived in the 1530s. Built distinct stepped pyramids known as yácatas. Language is Purépecha (historically called Tarascan), an isolate language not clearly related to surrounding Mesoamerican tongues. Traditional arts include advanced metalwork, distinctive woodcraft, and pottery deeply tied to festivals like the Day of the Dead. Traditional religious beliefs centered on deities like Kurikaweri (sky and war god) and Kwerawáperi (earth mother), which blended with Roman Catholicism over time. Most members live in Michoacán, with vibrant populations in towns like Cherán, Paracho, and Pátzcuaro. Growing diaspora communities exist across the United States and Mexican urban centers due to agricultural migration and economic shifts.
September 8, 2026 at 7:01 PM