Silver and gold earflares from the Chimú culture,14th-15th century, Peru.
In ancient Peruvian cultures, precious metals had a special status. As materials, silver and gold were symbols of power and prestige and also held symbolic and religious significance. Objects of silver and gold — such as nose and ear ornaments — were worn exclusively by the elite, and expressed social status and political authority in life and in death when they were placed as offerings in tombs with the deceased. - metmuseum.org (text and photo).
-> I would totally kill for a pair of these :)
Zapotec jade and shells mask, ca. 200 BC - 100 AD, Monte Alban, Mexico. Photography © Jorge Pérez de Lara.
Even though many scholars maintain that this is a bat mask, many of its features point towards its identification as a feline, possibly a jaguar. If this is correct, it may be associated with power and royal lineages. Regardless of its identification, it is one of the most valuable treasures ever recovered from Monte Albán. - mesoweb.com
Nazca Human-effigy vessel, ceramic, natural pigments, ca. AD 200-400, southern Peru. - nazcamystery.com
The Nazca culture was the pre-inca archaeological culture that flourished from 100 to 800 CE beside the dry southern coast of Peru. Having been heavily influenced by the preceding Paracas culture, which was known for extremely complex textiles, the Nazca produced an array of beautiful crafts and technologies such as ceramics, textiles, and geoglyphs(most commonly known as the Nazca lines). They also built an impressive system of underground aqueducts, known as puquios, that still function today. - wikipedia.org
4-meter (13-foot) long carving of Tlaltecuhtli, the Aztec earth goddess, 1502 approx., Templo Mayor, Mexico.
Tlaltecuhtli was one of the most feared deities. She represented life and nurturing, as well as death. Stories recount her insatiable appetite for blood and the large, unearthed carving depicts a stream of blood rushing out of her mouth.
To honor the powerful goddess, the Aztecs buried an odd assortment of offerings, including a wolf adorned in turquoise jewelry, underneath the stone slab. Many pieces of the offering hailed from distant lands, such as shells from the ocean. - news.discovery.com
Aztec god Tlaloc ceramic face pot, Templo Mayor, Mexico. Between between AD 1325-1521.
The pre-Hispanic people conceived of Tlaloc’s face as being formed by two intertwined snakes which come together around the nose and mouth. Here the snakes can be seen from the alternating vertical lines and circles that make up the eyebrows, eyes, and nose, as well as around the mouth.
