Browse Items (9 total)

When they were buried, the family members put their personal belongings and maybe even a lock of hair with them, so that the soul would know where to return. Hair was said to be considered to be representative of one's spirit, and it was sacred in…

Those who were not cremated, were wrapped and buried in the fetal position to mirror the position of birth and symbolize the return to nature. They were buried within the Earth around temples or houses to feed the goddess of the Earth, Coatlicue. The…

Higher status members of the Aztec society were wrapped, clothed, and cremated. Their ashes were placed in urns, most often depicting one of the many gods. These urns would hold the jade ‘heart’ and would often be buried in or around their home. Much…

These women were mostly hired to mourn the death of kings and noblemen who were killed in battle, which would have been common at the time. However, these women also wept for ‘lesser’ families as well. Grieving was public and a very extended time for…

The Aztec culture embraced public grief. Certain women were employed to cry and grieve with the families who had lost a loved one. It allows both the family, and the community, to grieve and move on. This “ritual weeping” was described by Dominican…

A mask was placed upon an ill person in order to direct divine power for their healing, and was not to be removed until they healed or died. A mask could also be placed upon the dead to not only conceal their true identity on the perilous journey to…

Jade was a precious stone in both Aztec and Mayan cultures; it was said to contain one's spirit. A jade pendant was worn during life, and when the owner died, it was placed in their mouth, under their tongue, upon burial to act as a form of currency…

When an ‘average’ person died of a natural death, there were steps to be followed so the spirit may best pass along to the next life. First, their eyes were closed, and a vase of water was poured over their head. This process shows the cycle of life…

This is a statue depicting Mictlantecuhtli, the aztec god of death, and from his stomach hangs his liver. The liver was home of the ihíyotl, or spirit, but was often associated with death, and consequently, Mictlantecuhtli. He lived in the lowest,…