Traveling through the World of Nahuatl Art
Since ancient times Mesoamerica has had traditions in history that stem into modern times. Aztecs were very artistic people when it came to the world of art. They were extremely talented in various forms of art such as metalworking, pottery, painting, folk art, and even scribes.
Although Aztecs were one of the most artistic people in Meso history they eventually were taken upon by the Nahua indigenous group.
Nahua is a group of the indigenous people of Mexico and El Salvador with historical past/present in parts of Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. They are one of the largest indigenous groups in Mexico and the second-largest group in El Salvador. They are a group that loves to stick to their Aztec roots. They are not full-blooded Aztec due to the decline of diseases and the attack of the Spanish and European people. One popular creation that the Nahua made was called Tigre masks.
During the “Infinity of Nations,” during the dance, the Tigre is chased, and eventually caught and killed. These masks were mainly used from the Guerrero state out of animals. It can be represented as a jaguar or tiger with yellow, green, red and black. The nose is shaped like a pig and they would paint these to scare away animals such as felines or cat-like predators. They would use these masks near the river. That river would be called the Balsas River Basin.
Murals’ traditions became a big part of the Nahua that came from the Aztec. They can also be called the Teotihuacan: mural painting.
Most of the pottery began a little after metalwork started. Women would make pots and plates with animals and humans on them. The pottery work would usually have been traded or used during traditional ceremonies in the villages. They would be colorful pieces mainly of royal blue and reds that feature fantasy animals, people, deities that they worship, and floral/geometric shapes.
Floral and geometric shapes were very popular and still popular in use today in paintings. Then this led to Amate paper.
According to “Teotihuacan: Mural Painting,” the Storm God is usually shown in profile and is identified by his distinctive face mask (tiger or jaguar) and the lightning bolt carried in his left hand. Many animals are painted in the murals that include: coyotes, owls, rabbits, snakes and jaguars, birds or fish. Mural art was used as a way to communicate with each other. Painting and ceramics played away to the architectural art forms which were done on the lower walls.
Most murals are linked to the Temple of Quetzalcoatl. The temple has two sides which are the Pyramid of the Moon and the Pyramid of the Sun. It is also linked with two goddess deities known as the Great Goddess and the Storm God (or Tlaloc). Murals are still being searched and decoded but there is not a found chronological order of the first mural by the Nahuas.
Most of the pottery began a little after metalwork started. Women would make pots and plates with animals and humans on them. The pottery work would usually have been traded or used during traditional ceremonies in the villages. They would be colorful pieces mainly of royal blue and reds that feature fantasy animals, people, deities that they worship and floral/geometric shapes.
Floral and geometric shapes were very popular and still popular in use today in paintings. Then this led to Amate paper.
Amate paintings are dealing with folk art which is usually painted in murals form or on brown-like paper. They tell stories of everyday life of flowers, birds, deer or rabbits. Nahua people loved to show images of fishing, hunting, and harvesting.
Even though the Aztecs are no longer here, the Nahua have made it a point to make sure their Aztec roots and art be shown in museums and to villages in Mexico.Traditions were made to be shaped and create a space to tell stories of what they created.
