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Grave Guardians
ceramic, pigments
c. 400 BCE to 300 CE
Nayarit culture
Western Mexico

#graveguardians #burial #shafttombs #Nayarit #culture #precolumbian #prehispanic #mesoamerica #precolumbianart #religion #belief #afterlife #underworld #ancientart #art #sculpture #westernmexico #ancientmexico
October 26, 2026 at 2:14 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
travelearth4real.bsky.social
Mayan Artifacts are displayed at museums and areas of importance to show the way of life of the Mayans and what they used to believe. Those statues played an important role when it comes to worship #mayan #ancienthistory #museum #Cancun #rivieramaya #vacation #artifacts #musee #ancientmexico
July 11, 2025 at 11:49 PM
romeo33angel.bsky.social
Mira este video... 👀 pin.it/2FPom0LVE
Ahmed Hamdi Kshta on Instagram: "ojuelosdejalisco #viral# #precolumbianartifacts #alientoc #aliens #ancientaliens #tulahidalgo #tula #alien #ancientmexico #tula… [Video] [Video] | Ancient aliens, Anci...
Sep 1, 2024 - 0 likes, 0 comments - ahmed.h.kshta on March 30, 2024: "ojuelosdejalisco #viral# #precolumbianartifacts #alientoc #aliens #ancientaliens #tulahidalgo #tula #alien #ancientmexico #tuladea...
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March 28, 2025 at 8:22 PM
franciscolopezus.bsky.social
www.tiktok.com/t/ZTMbL4F8j/
The Secret Mexican Origins of Spanish Food Mexico Mexicanamerican Historytok Mexicanamericanhistory Ancientmexico Mexicanhistory Mexicanfood Spanishfood #Mexico #Mexicanamerican #Mexicanhistory #mex...
TikTok video by MexHistory
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November 3, 2025 at 6:09 PM
nycgamer57.bsky.social
www.tiktok.com/t/ZTMhbM7jQ/
The Secret Mexican Origins of Spanish Food Mexico Mexicanamerican Historytok Mexicanamericanhistory Ancientmexico Mexicanhistory Mexicanfood Spanishfood #Mexico #Mexicanamerican #Mexicanhistory #mex...
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October 5, 2025 at 9:56 PM
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
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
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
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
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
Presentation of Captives to a Maya Ruler, c. A.D. 785 bas-relief
limestone with traces of paint
c. 785 CE
Maya culture
Mexico

#handmade #limestone #pigment #sculpture #basrelief #art #mayanart #mesoamerica #mayaculture #ancientart #precolumbian #political #domination #defeat #mexico #ancientmexico
This carved relief probably served as a wall panel inside a Maya building or as a lintel over an entrance. It depicts the presentation of captives in a palace throne room, indicated by swag curtains at the top of the panel. The five figures are the Yaxchilan king, seated at top left, his sahal (a military chief) on the right, and three bound captives in the lower left. The glyphic text, which gives a date of 23 August 783, records the capture of a lord and a sacrificial bloodletting three days later under the auspices of the king. The three prisoners may be scribes; the one in front holds a “stick-bundle” associated with Maya scribes, and all three wear headdresses with hun (book) knots. All figures but the leftmost captive are identified by name. The inscription on the throne front, of special interest, is carved with the king’s name and titles; the glyphs are inscribed in reverse order, from right to left. The name of the artist responsible for sculpting the relief appears on the vertical panel of four glyphs under the sahal’s outstretched arm. Signed works of Maya art are rare, and the signature on this relief suggests that it was considered of great value in its time.
May 21, 2026 at 12:03 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
Jaguar Urn
terracotta
c. 500 CE
Zapotec culture
Mexico

#ancient #handmade #urn #funeral #burial #offerings #jaguar #terracotta #zapotecculture #mesoamerica #mexico #ancientmexico #guardians #underworld #death #afterlife #shaman #transformation #precolumbian #prehispanic #ancientart #art #sculpture
National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City Jaguars have always had an association with the Underworld in ancient Mesoamerican cultures. It's fitting that this example was most likely found in a burial tomb. In antiquity, it would have held offerings for the deceased. In Zapotec culture, jaguars held a profound sacred significance, acting as powerful guardians and intermediaries in burial rituals and the afterlife. They represented a connection to the underworld, earthly power, and a transformation of the spirit. Jaguars (or shamans transformed into them) were seen as protectors who accompanied souls and protected them from evil spirits, ensuring safe passage between the earth and the spirit realm. Zapotec rulers and elites associated themselves with the jaguar to proclaim their "mythical lineage and attributes," often including jaguar pelts, teeth, or claws in their tombs to signify their high status and strength. The jaguar was strongly linked to the underworld and the "night sun," making it a fitting symbol for the context of death and ancestor worship. The Zapotecs believed in the ability of religious authorities to transform, and the jaguar served as a nagual—a spirit companion or alter ego that enabled this transition.
May 8, 2026 at 7:41 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
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
Serpent mask of Quetzalcoatl
wood, turquoise, shell, resin
circa 1450 CE
Aztec
Mexico

#handmade #quetzalcoatl #mask #aztec #mexica #Tenochtitlan #mesoamerica #mexico #ancientmexico #precolumbian #prehispanic #religion #ritual #tlaloc #raingod #serpent #eyes #ancientart #indigenous #culture #art
This mask is believed to represent Quetzalcoatl or the Rain God Tlaloc; both are associated with serpents. The mask is formed of two intertwined and looped serpents worked in contrasting colors of turquoise mosaic; one in green and one in blue that twist across the face and around the eyes, blending over the nose. Turquoise mosaic feathers hang on both sides of the eye sockets. The mask is made of “cedro” wood (Cedrela odorata) with pine resin adhesive. The teeth are made of conch (Strombus) shell and the resin adhesive in the mouth is coloured red with hematite. The rattles of the serpent tails were originally gilded. They are molded from a mixture of beeswax and pine resin; the same resin mixture coats the interior surface of the mask. The Spanish friar Bernardino de Sahagún, writing in the sixteenth century, describes a mask like this one. It was a gift of the Aztec emperor Motecuhzoma II to the Spanish captain Hernán Cortés (1485-1547). The Aztec ruler thought that Cortés was the god Quetzalcoatl (Feathered Serpent) returning from the East. This mask was part of the adornments associated with this god. According to Sahagún’s description it was worn with a crown of beautiful long greenish-blue iridescent feathers, probably those of the quetzal (a bird that lives in the tropical rain forest). Though the Rain God Tlaloc was also sometimes represented with serpents twisting around his eyes, the feathers are more consistent with the image of Quetzalcoatl. The earliest image of Quetzalcoatl as the Feathered Serpent appears at Teotihuacan in Central Mexico, on the façade of the temple that now bears his name.
April 20, 2026 at 12:12 PM