Mosaic of a double-headed serpent | The British Museum Images. Some of the turquoise was imported to Mesoamerica from approximately 1,600 km to the northwest, from the Four Corners Region of Oasisamerica where the Ancestral Pueblo people mined the stone. A single block of Spanish cedar wood forms the sculpture's base. This sculpture is one of nine Mexican turquoise mosaics in the British Museum. The serpent is made up of about two … A single block of cedar wood (Cedrela odorata)[4] forms the sculpture's base. Right-hand head of Aztec double-headed serpent, British Museum: In February 1899, a cargo ship brought to Sydney, Australia, the skeletal remains of a huge “two-headed sea serpent” – said originally to weigh seventy tons and extend sixty feet in length – that was found on a beach on Rakahanga island in the Solomons. The must-see exhibits at the British Museum (Part 1) It came from Aztec Mexico and might have been worn or displayed in religious ceremonies. Head of Serpent (detail), Mosaic of a Double-headed Serpent, c. 15th-16th century, cedrela wood, turquoise, pine resin, oyster shell, hematite, and copal, 20.5 x 43.3 x 6.5 cm, Mexico © Trustees of the British Museum. It’s the main object, in our historical trajectory, representing Aztec culture, and it’s an example of how too much symbolism can get projected onto one object. The post tells an origin story of the Musqueam involving a two-headed serpent: A double-headed snake made of wood, covered with turquoise mosaics and decorated with oyster and conch shell. This double-headed serpent is one of the most beautiful objects in the British Museum. … The sculpture is of an undulating serpent with heads of each side. In Mesoamerica, serpents were associated with regeneration, and were thought to be able to move between the worlds of the living and the dead. Medium. Turquoise stones were broken in small, flat tesserae and adhered to the wooden body with pine resin. However, the best known craftsmen for their turquoise mosaics were not the Aztecs but the Mixtecs. Buy Culture Spot Premium Aztec Double Headed Rattlesnake Serpent Wall Hanging | British Museum, London 15th Century Quality Replica | Measures 18.5 Inches Wide: Statues - Amazon.com FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases At the height of the Aztec Empire, many Mixtec towns came under Aztec rule had to pay tribute to the emperor, including gifts of gold and turquoise. Please enable JavaScript in your web browser to get the best experience. The vivid contrast of the red and white details on the head have been made from oyster shell and conch shell respectively. Period/Style. It is possible that this sculpturemay be one of the gifts given by the Azte… [2] It is possible that this sculpture may be one of the gifts given by the Aztec emperor, Moctezuma II, to Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés when he invaded in 1519. Turquoi… The double-headed serpent is fashioned of a multitude of tiny turquoise stones along with conch and Spondylus shells, glued with copal and pine resin onto a … This category covers a particular Double Headed Serpent in the British museum. [5], The heads of the serpents have holes for eyes, and remaining traces of beeswax and resin may have once held objects representing eyes, possibly orbs of iron pyrite (Fool's Gold). It is a snake with two heads composed of mostly turquoise pieces applied to a wood base, it is one of nine mosaics of similar material in the British Museum; there are thought to be about 25 such pieces from that period in the whole of Europe. There are considered to be only 25 Mexican turquoise mosaics in Europe from this period.[1]. The videos below can be seen on Smarthistory because The British Museum generously makes their videos available for distribution. The bright turquoise skin and open jaws were intended to both impress and terrify the beholder. Some sources report that Montezuma thought that Cortés was the feathered serpent god Quetzalcoatl and treated him accordingly. It may have been a representation of the earth and underworld with each head representing one. Despite the gifts and the peaceful reception, Montezuma was taken prisoner by Cortés and his troops took Montezuma's capital, Tenochtitlan, by 1521. We use cookies to make our website work more efficiently, to provide you with more personalised services or advertising to you, and to analyse traffic on our website. Although the term Aztecs is often restricted to the critical city of Mexica of Tenochtitlan, it is also broadly used to refer to Nahua peoples of central Mexico in the prehispanic era, as well … by The British Museum. AztecSerpent.JPG 2,560 × 1,920; 2.38 MB. The Aztec empire was a confederation of three city-states established in 1427. That concludes part 2 of this personal selection of must-see exhibits at the British Museum. The double-headed serpent is one of the most highly crafted and strangely compelling of these rare Aztec survivals. The double-headed serpent is fashioned of a multitude of tiny turquoise stones along with conch and Spondylus shells, glued with copal and pine resin onto a … The back side has been hollowed out, possibly to make the sculpture lighter. The back, once gilded, is not plain, and only the heads have decorations on both sides. The Double-headed serpent is a sculpture made by the Aztecs in the 15th or 16th century.It can be found in the British Museum.. He describes the Aztec world and the Spanish conquest of this culture, through a double-headed serpent made from tiny pieces of turquoise - one of the stars of the British Museum. By using 2,000[5] small pieces, the flat pieces of stone give the impression of a faceted, curvilinear surface. The turquoise was cut and ground using stone tools. Aztec turquoise mosaic double-headed serpent. This sculpture featured in A History of the World in 100 Objects, a series of radio programmes that started in 2010 as a collaboration between the BBC and the British Museum. Both of the snakes' faces have one hole for an eye and a mouth filled with white fangs. [1] It came from Aztec Mexico and might have been worn or displayed in religious ceremonies. Photo about Turquoise mosaic of double-headed serpent from Mexico in British museum, London, UK. The sculpture is now in the possession of the British Museum and was purchased by the Christy Fund. Both the colour green and serpents signified fertility, and ensuring land fertility was at the heart of most Aztec ceremonies. Wikimedia Commons has media related to British Museum. [2] The mosaic is made of pieces of turquoise, spiny oyster shell and conch shell. Made over 500 years ago, this icon of Aztec art is admired for its symmetry, beauty and colour. British Museum. An examination of an Aztec ornament depicting a double-headed serpent, carved in wood and covered with turquoise mosaic, which is believed to have been worn on ceremonial occasions. Department Africa, Oceania and the Americas. The Aztec civilization was organized into city-states, some of which joined to form alliances, political confederations, or empires. It has been proposed that the serpent was a symbol of rebirth because of its ability to shed its old skin and appear as a reborn snake. This double-headed serpent is carved from a single piece of … It was also featured in Historium, a collection of ancient objects from all over the world. The much smaller original of this two-headed serpent (now in the British Museum) dates from the 14th or 15th century and is made of wood, encrusted with a mosaic of turquoise and shell. View and buy royalty free and rights managed stock photos at The British Museum Images. McEwan, Middleton, Cartwright & Stacey / Turquoise Mosaics From Mexico, McEwan 1994 / Ancient Mexico in the British Museum, McEwan 2009 / Ancient American Art in Detail, MacGregor 2010 / A History of the World in 100 Objects, King et al 2012 / Turquoise in Mexico and North America, Cartwright and Meeks 2007 / Aztec conch shell working: high-tech design. The snake features strongly in the gods that the people worshiped. The white shell used for the teeth comes from shells of the edible queen conch. Turquoise evoked new growth, water and the feathers of the quetzal bird, which were worn by priests during ceremonies. The Double-headed serpent is an Aztec sculpture kept at the British Museum. The word coatl is also part of many place names, such as Coatepec ("the hill of the serpents"). the double headed serpent is known to have been a _____ which was worn by _____ hanging from chests for _____ or _____ pectoral, indigenous rulers, ritual, ceremony. View and buy royalty free and rights managed stock photos at The British Museum Images. “The Double-Headed Serpent and the Origin of the Name Musqueam,” as told by mən̓eʔɬ – James Point, 1963. It is therefore no coincidence that four double-headed serpents, worn as bracelets and anklets in the monumental sculpture of his vanquished sister Coyolxauhqui, excavated at the Templo Mayor. On Wednesday, April 6th, a new Musqueam house post carved by Brent Sparrow Jr. called sʔi:ɬqəy̓ qeqən (double-headed serpent post) was dedicated at UBC’s Vancouver campus with hundreds of people from the UBC and Musqueam communities in attendance. Should any other double headed serpents be found then this cat would be a member of that category. Many theories suggest the symbolic significance of the serpent imagery. It is a snake with two heads composed of mostly turquoise pieces applied to a wood base, it is one of nine mosaics of similar material in the British Museum; there are thought to be about 25 such pieces from that period in the whole of Europe. Neil Macgregor credits Henry Christy with gathering similar artifacts into the British Museum.[9]. It is made of turquoise chips of stone and has a wooden block for its base. This serpent would have made an valuable item of tribute- an example of the fearsome Aztecs.[10]. [3][7], It is not known how this sculpture left Mexico, but it is considered possible that it was among the goods obtained by conquistador Hernán Cortés when he was sent to take the interior of Mico for the Spanish crown. The Double-headed serpent is an Aztec sculpture kept at the British Museum.Composed of mostly turquoise pieces applied to a wood base, it is one of nine mosaics of similar material in the British Museum; there are thought to be about 25 such pieces from that period in the whole of Europe. It is an example of Mexica (Aztec) art and measures about 17 inches wide by 8 inches high by two inches thick. The feathered serpent god Quetzalcoatl, patron of priests and symbol of death and resurrection was important to Mixtec religion,[2] but other gods also had serpentine characteristics. Rendered in Salish formline design. It was carved from a single piece of cedar wood over 500 years ago, before the mosaic was attached using pine resin. Double-headed serpent Eagle Warrior Mosaic mask of Tezcatlipoca Stone kneeling figure of Chalchiuhtlicue Aztec feathered headdress Aztec art and feasts for the dead ... C. McEwan, Ancient Mexico in the British Museum (London, The British Museum Press, 1994). Appearance. The serpent is made out of about 2,000 small pieces of turquoise set on to a curved wooden frame, about 40 centimetres (16 inches) wide and half as high. [2], The Cortés antiquities arrived in Europe in the 1520s and caused great interest; however, it is said that other turquoise mosaics ended their days in jewellers' shops in Florence where they were dismantled to make more contemporary objects. The back side has been hollowed out, possibly to make the sculpture lighter. Curled around the figure is a green double-headed serpent. Directed by Ian Michael Jones. What is it? No one knows how the piece was discovered or made its way to Europe The turquoise mosaic of a double-headed serpent is one of the most alluring objects in the British Museum Mexican Gallery. British Museum; C. Cyrus Cylinder; D. Double-headed serpent; E. Elgin Marbles; R. Rosetta Stone This page was last changed on 22 March 2013, at 08:20. The serpent was one of the symbols of Tlaloc, the Aztec rain god, and would have been worn as a pendant by a high priest. Pages in category "British Museum" The following 5 pages are in this category, out of 5 total. Today he is with an object made by the Aztecs of present day Mexico. [1] It came from Aztec Mexico and might have been worn or displayed in religious … The outer body of the two-headed snake is covered in a mosaic of turquoise, accented by red spiny oyster. This is the time of huge European expansion thanks to the new developments in ship building. ... Double-headed serpent. Media in category "Double-headed serpent" The following 23 files are in this category, out of 23 total. The Aztecs were a Mesoamerican culture that flourished in central Mexico from 1300 to 1521. The Aztecs were brutally and systematically enslaved and murdered, in spite of their generosity. If you have time (or a special interest) don’t forget to see the ancient exhibits in Asia and China in rooms 33 and 33a (Jade collection). They then fell victim to smallpox and other European diseases brought to Mexico by Cortés and his troops. "Masterpieces of the British Museum" The Aztec Double-Headed Serpent (TV Episode 2006) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. In the British Museum there is an Aztec sculpture of a double-headed serpent, presumed to be a gift to the 15th Century Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés. [8] Cortés was given a number of valuable gifts, which included turquoise sculptures, and possibly this serpent. With Daniel Evans, Elizabeth Baquedano, Caroline Dodds Pennock, Steven Gregory. Image of double, horror, concept - 122502558 The serpent is believed to represent the underworld and powers of rebirth, the ability to shed one skin and inhabit another multiple times throughout the course of a lifetime. The elephant-headed Ganesha is one of the most popular Hindu gods -- the creator and remover of of obstacles. Aztec Art. Donated in appreciation of the British Museum's support for the donor's PhD, 2013-2017 through the British Museum's collaborative doctoral award scheme. Colossal quartzite statue of Amenhotep III, Amun in the form of a ram protecting King Taharqa, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Double-headed_serpent&oldid=1008812155, Artefacts from Africa, Oceania and the Americas in the British Museum, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 25 February 2021, at 04:47. The animation is projected on the featured 25'x10' wall for one of the award-winning museum exhibition series, c̓əsnaʔəm the city before the city at the Museum of Vancouver (MOV) between January 2015 and January 2020. The outer body of the two-headed snake is covered in a mosaic of turquoise, accented by red spiny oyster. This double-headed serpent is one of the most highly crafted and strangely compelling of these rare Aztec survivals. Aztec Double-Headed Serpent Trustees of the British Museum. Mosaic of a double-headed serpent | The British Museum Images. The Double-headed serpent looks like two wavy snakes acting as the other's tail. [6] Cedar wood, turquoise, pine resin, oyster shell. 🐍 This double-headed serpent mosaic is decorated with turquoise, coral and shell. [7] Cleverly, the adhesive used to attach the Spondylus princeps[4] shell has been colored with red iron oxide (hematite) to complete the design. The Double-headed serpent is an Aztec sculpture kept at the British Museum. The back, once gilded, is now plain, and only the heads have decorations on both sides. For more information on how we use cookies and how to manage cookies, please follow the 'Read more' link, otherwise select 'Accept and close'. [3], The sculpture is of an undulating serpent with heads on each side. Cortés arrived on the coast of what is now Mexico in 1519, and after battles he entered the capital on November 8, 1519 and was met with respect, if not favour, by the Aztec ruler Montezuma II.
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