Greenstone ‘heart’
Dublin Core
Title
Greenstone ‘heart’
Subject
Title: Greenstone ‘heart’
Collection: Pitt Rivers Museum Donated by Zelia Nuttall in 1905
Location: found in Puebla, Mexico
Date: 15th century
Collection: Pitt Rivers Museum Donated by Zelia Nuttall in 1905
Location: found in Puebla, Mexico
Date: 15th century
Description
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 in the after life. The jade was representative of a life force and was placed within the body to act symbolically as their heart. Those who could not afford jade, were buried with obsidian.
Collection
Citation
“Greenstone ‘heart’,” The Aztec Ritual of Death , accessed April 19, 2024, https://colonialaztec.omeka.net/items/show/3.