Male Narrator: This expressive mask and shield are stunning examples of turquoise ceremonial objects fashioned by Mixtec artists. The Mixtecs occupied an area extending inland from the Pacific Coast of Mexico that included much of what is today Oaxaca. Kim Richter:
Kim Richter: Turquoise was very valued because it was imported from the American Southwest via long-distance exchange. And it was associated with rulership. Rulers typically wore regalia made of turquoise, as did Mixtec nobles and lords, noblewomen and queens.
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Male Narrator: The mask also features pieces of red and purple Spondylus shell, the sacred bivalve that inhabited the waters of the coastal Pacific. The stepped design over the mouth is a type of nose ornament associated with Mixtec goddesses and one that was also worn by elite Mixtec women. The two intertwined serpents that wrap around the forehead, emerge on either side of the head. These likely represent a fire serpent deity.
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Turquoise is much easier to work than jade and quickly became a favored material for the Mixtec. The shield contains a staggering number of turquoise pieces: 14,000. The central figure is a woman, flanked by two men. She descends from the sky—represented at the top of the scene as a band with a disk. Head down, she moves toward a curled mountaintop, a symbol representing a mythological place of origin.
Kim Richter: It is significant that we see a woman in such a central representation. This probably was a goddess who descended from the sky. Women and goddesses had a very high standing in Mixtec culture. They were important rulers in their own right. They owned land and property. And frequently, strategic marriage alliances were created for the sake of gaining more power.
Male Narrator: Although the mask and shield’s original functions are unknown, we can imagine [rattle sound effect] how the mosaic would have sparkled in the light.
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