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Art And Artforms In The Art Of The Aztec Art

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When it comes to art the Aztecs were very versatile when creating artforms in their culture. In their culture Aztecs were adept in making art forms such as pottery, stone work, and even feather work itself. In the 15th to 16th century Aztec art was a dominant source of expression in Mesoamerica and was vastly know through trade and other ways of circulation (Cartwright). Aztec artworks were created by an artisan class for priests and the ruling classes to perpetuate cosmic forces and reinforce political power. The monumental stone sculpture of deities and their placement in the Templo Mayor shed light on the need for sacrifice in order for the political and cosmic order to continue. One of the greatest artworks created by the Aztec was a stone carving of a deity called Coatlicue or also known as serpent skirt. Through this masterful art piece alone we could understand the Aztecs belief system, and even its economic/political structure as well.
Coatlicue or serpent skirt played a major role in Aztec society as the background information of this artwork is very intriguing. Coatlicue, serpent skirt, is known as the Aztec mother earth and mother of Huizilopochtli (Klein). The art piece itself is represented by a severed head replaced with two snake heads, also wearing a necklace of severed hands and human hearts with a skull in the middle (Klein). In the Aztec culture the stone carving of Coatlicue was feared by many as the statue was deemed to be to graphic for others to look
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