0:00:00.279,0:00:03.279 (jazzy piano music) 0:00:06.520,0:00:08.350 - [Steven] We're in the[br]National Museum of Anthropology 0:00:08.350,0:00:11.440 in Mexico City, looking at one of four 0:00:11.440,0:00:13.800 large ceramic braziers, 0:00:13.800,0:00:16.540 vessels that were containers for burning. 0:00:16.540,0:00:20.480 This one represents a goddess[br]associated with maize, 0:00:20.480,0:00:21.940 with ripe corn. 0:00:21.940,0:00:24.340 - [Lauren] The one we're[br]looking at is Chicomecoatl, 0:00:24.340,0:00:25.820 or Seven Serpent. 0:00:25.820,0:00:28.480 And she is a very popular deity 0:00:28.480,0:00:31.027 in the Aztec or Mexica pantheon. 0:00:31.027,0:00:32.770 And we see her not only in ceramic, 0:00:32.770,0:00:34.460 but also in stone sculpture. 0:00:34.460,0:00:35.890 - [Steven] The association[br]with maize is immediate. 0:00:35.890,0:00:37.530 We can see that she's framing her face 0:00:37.530,0:00:38.850 with four ears of corn. 0:00:38.850,0:00:41.680 But this is such a[br]wonderfully dense sculpture. 0:00:41.680,0:00:43.530 - [Lauren] Beyond[br]holding the ears of corn, 0:00:43.530,0:00:46.880 which I should note are[br]red and dark blue or black, 0:00:46.880,0:00:49.200 making reference to the[br]different types of maize, 0:00:49.200,0:00:51.740 we see her face here behind the corn, 0:00:51.740,0:00:53.660 her eyes painted looking out at us, 0:00:53.660,0:00:56.330 her mouth open with these large ear spools 0:00:56.330,0:00:58.450 and then framed by this fantastic 0:00:58.450,0:01:00.390 and very elaborate headdress. 0:01:00.390,0:01:02.100 - [Steven] Well, we know[br]that costume was tremendously 0:01:02.100,0:01:04.940 important for the Aztecs, and[br]this is a great example of it. 0:01:04.940,0:01:07.950 We can see, for instance,[br]four circles that would, 0:01:07.950,0:01:11.240 in physical costume,[br]have been pleated paper. 0:01:11.240,0:01:13.560 - [Lauren] Exactly, and so[br]while all of this is in ceramic 0:01:13.560,0:01:16.500 it's referencing the[br]types of ritual regalia 0:01:16.500,0:01:17.880 that would have been used. 0:01:17.880,0:01:20.030 - [Steven] And this is exceptional[br]because we have so much 0:01:20.030,0:01:21.730 of the polychrome, that is of the paint, 0:01:21.730,0:01:23.160 of the color, that still survives. 0:01:23.160,0:01:25.630 We can see reds and blues[br]and whites and blacks. 0:01:25.630,0:01:27.710 - [Lauren] Which are some[br]of the primary colors 0:01:27.710,0:01:29.560 that you see in Aztec art. 0:01:29.560,0:01:32.120 And what's wonderful here is[br]not only that we have this 0:01:32.120,0:01:34.250 elaborate headdress fairly intact, 0:01:34.250,0:01:36.860 but also the rest of her[br]costume, like her skirt. 0:01:36.860,0:01:39.820 In this very rectangular[br]block-like construction, 0:01:39.820,0:01:41.390 much of the polychrome still exists 0:01:41.390,0:01:43.170 where we have these red bands. 0:01:43.170,0:01:44.910 - [Steven] It reminds me of architecture. 0:01:44.910,0:01:47.200 It seems as if the[br]headdress is so elaborate, 0:01:47.200,0:01:49.260 it is as if she is wearing a building. 0:01:49.260,0:01:50.680 - [Lauren] They're almost obscuring 0:01:50.680,0:01:52.580 or really downplaying the face. 0:01:52.580,0:01:54.350 - [Steven] Although[br]the face is so present, 0:01:54.350,0:01:56.660 she's coming out at us[br]with a kind of intensity 0:01:56.660,0:01:58.450 that captures my attention. 0:01:58.450,0:02:01.170 - [Lauren] This particular[br]face would have emphasized 0:02:01.170,0:02:03.380 this experience that one[br]would have if you were to walk 0:02:03.380,0:02:06.210 into a temple and to[br]see an object like this 0:02:06.210,0:02:09.950 that's emitting burning[br]materials in its body. 0:02:09.950,0:02:11.310 - [Steven] And the[br]smoke would be rising up 0:02:11.310,0:02:14.750 from behind this, it would have[br]been tremendously dramatic. 0:02:14.750,0:02:16.980 Corn is so central to the development 0:02:16.980,0:02:18.710 of Mesoamerican culture 0:02:18.710,0:02:20.380 - [Lauren] Maize is the staple food crop. 0:02:20.380,0:02:22.320 And that is very true[br]of the Aztecs as well, 0:02:22.320,0:02:25.360 because we don't only see[br]this particular goddess 0:02:25.360,0:02:27.210 whose name again is Seven Serpent 0:02:27.210,0:02:29.250 or Chicomecoatl in Nahuatl, 0:02:29.250,0:02:32.520 but we see other versions[br]of maze deities like Xilonen 0:02:32.520,0:02:36.260 who is the maize goddess[br]affiliated with young corn. 0:02:36.260,0:02:39.440 And we even see corn in a[br]variety of other objects 0:02:39.440,0:02:41.490 because as the cornerstone of the diet, 0:02:41.490,0:02:43.120 it also became invested 0:02:43.120,0:02:45.550 with these important sacred meanings. 0:02:45.550,0:02:46.670 - [Steven] And the cobs themselves 0:02:46.670,0:02:48.040 are so beautifully articulated. 0:02:48.040,0:02:50.260 And it reminds me of so[br]many other sculptures 0:02:50.260,0:02:52.320 by the Aztecs of other foodstuffs. 0:02:52.320,0:02:53.870 In the same gallery this marvelous 0:02:53.870,0:02:55.510 representation of a squash. 0:02:55.510,0:02:57.680 And corn and squash together with beans 0:02:57.680,0:02:59.280 create a perfect protein. 0:02:59.280,0:03:01.840 - [Lauren] And so if we're[br]talking about this deity 0:03:01.840,0:03:05.440 within the religious[br]practices of the Aztecs, 0:03:05.440,0:03:08.410 they had a very active ritual calendar. 0:03:08.410,0:03:11.780 And many of these monthly[br]festivals would revolve 0:03:11.780,0:03:16.290 around maze deities,[br]including Seven Serpent here. 0:03:16.290,0:03:17.580 - [Steven] And it would've[br]been on those feast days 0:03:17.580,0:03:19.200 that corn would have been enjoyed. 0:03:19.200,0:03:21.120 - [Lauren] And so there would[br]have been special tamales 0:03:21.120,0:03:24.240 distributed to people to be[br]eaten during these festivals 0:03:24.240,0:03:27.590 as a very potent, very[br]sensual in terms of using many 0:03:27.590,0:03:31.862 different senses, reminder[br]of the centrality of maize. 0:03:31.862,0:03:34.862 (jazzy piano music)