We have been to museums on 5 continents and all across the United States and The Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City is among our most favorite. The museum is divided into wings that tell cohesive narratives of Mexico, ranging from pre-Colombus to modern times, all of which are beautifully curated in both English and Spanish. Even the architecture, like the structural column below, is striking.
Here are a few of our favorite things that we saw while there:
This is the Figurilla Zohapilco, a 5,000 year old fertility figurine and the oldest mesoamerican ceramic figure ever found. It broke my heart to see that most every one walked directly past her without a second glance.
This Dintel from 600-800 BCE is a hieroglyphic telling of the Yaxchilan dynasty. It features the heads of deities and animals, including the monkey, who represents the sun. It’s really hard to interpret for the likes of us but perhaps you’ll have better luck.
This is a monolith of Chalchiuhtlicue, consort/analog to the god Tlaloc. She is the goddess of horizontal waters: lakes, lagoons, and rivers. Found in front of the Pyramid of the Moon, Teotihuacan, from 300-800 BCE.
Chac-Mool is a messenger between man and the gods, ready to receive offerings of food or blood in his abdominal cavity.
Disclaimer: this is a recreation. In the back yard of the museum, they have built beautiful replicas of remote tombs and temples from around the country. This has inspired us to plan another trip to the Yucatan asap.
Totonaca, old man god of fire. 150-650 BCE, Veracruz.
Beautiful, nearly 3000 year old book.
Josh with a water deity monolith from the Teotihuacan culture, 100-850 BCE.
Nicole in front of a tomb decoration from the Teotihuacan culture.
