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158. Ruler's feather headdress

 

Ruler's feather headdress (probably of Motecuhzoma II) 
Mexica (Aztec). 1428-1520 C.E. Feathers (quetzal and cotinga) and gold

The headdress was probably part of the collection of artefacts given by Motecuhzoma to Cortés who passed on the gifts to Charles V. The headdress is made from 450 green quetzal, blue cotinga and pink flamingo feathers and is further embellished with gold beads and jade disks.

Ruler's feather headdress (probably of Moctezuma II) 1428-1520 CE


  • Completely Identify

    • Ruler's feather headdress (probably of Moctezuma II)

    • Unknown Artist

    • 1428-1520 CE

    • Feathers, gold, wood, plant fibers

    • Aztec People

    • Mexico


  • Form

    • Materials: Feathers, gold, plant fibers, wood, leather, paper, textiles, and gilded brass

    • 3.8 feet tall, 5.75 feet wide

    • Feathers mounted on wooden sticks layered in semi-circles with small plates of gold

    • Originally included a golden bird beak

    • Each of the 450 feathers is a tail feather from a different bird, specifically quetzals and contigas


  • Function

    • Thought to have ceremonial purpose

      • Was carried on a long stick through town

    • Performed in as part of a costume

    • Feathers were a very important part of the Aztec Economy

      • Art made of feathers were seen as a symbol of wealth and status

      • Were used to create fans and shields as well as headdresses

      • Were also a part of a warrior’s clothing

      • Especially rare feathers were received as payment from cities conquered by the Aztec Empire


  • Content

    • Vibrant colors and rare materials indicate importance and status

    • Took a long time and much dedication to make, as each feather was retrieved from a different bird

    • Feathers used in this headdress are from birds located in the Yucatan peninsula, meaning that extensive trade was required to acquire these feathers

    • Quetzal tail feathers from the male birds, each of which carry only two long tail feathers that are used in the headdress

    • Made by amantecas (feather workers) who were highly skilled artists and lived in a special quarter of the capital


  • Context

    • Presumably belonged to Motecuhzoma II, ruler of the Aztec Empire

    • Capital of the Aztec Empire was Tenochtitlan (present-day Mexico City)

    • Acquired by Hernán Cortés, a conquistador who led an expedition that led to the fall of the Aztec Empire

      • Sources vary on whether the headdress was gifted as a diplomatic gesture or taken forcefully

    • First mentioned in European inventory as a “Moorish hat” in 1596 when it was acquired by Austrian Archduke Ferdinand II von Tyrol

    • Displayed in ethnology museum in Vienna (now called the Weltmuseum Wien)

    • Mexico has claimed ownership of the headdress and has been asking for its return since 1991

    • The museum of Austria suggested a replica be sent instead, claiming that the original would be destroyed if it was transported

       

  • Themes

    • Power/authority

    • Performance

    • Identity

    • Wealth and status

    • Innovation: Materials


  • Cross-Cultural Connections

    • Ahu 'ula


  • Cultural Questions

    • What is the geography of the area, and how does it shape its art?

      • introduction of trade with other cultures initiated the use of materials acquired through trade as symbols of status and importance --> materials natural to the empire were seen as less desirable

    • What is the leadership structure?

      • Strict social hierarchy designated people as nobles, commoners, serfs, or slaves

        • Nobles consisted of military leaders, high priests, and lords

    • What are the social roles, including gender roles?

      • Women raised young girls and men raised young boys, enforcing very concrete gender roles from childhood

      • Girls and boys were taught different tasks and had different jobs in Aztec society

        • Women were often spinners and weavers

    • What are the religious/spiritual beliefs?

      • The Aztecs were a polytheistic society and worshipped many different gods and goddesses who were assigned to different aspects of nature and human life

    • What ceremonies help define the culture?

      • The Aztecs participated in frequent ritual sacrifice, including sacrifice of both animals and humans. They believed these sacrifices would help to maintain and replenish the power of the gods.

        • Human sacrifice came in response to the idea that the gods sacrificed their blood and their lives creating the world and everything in it

      • At the end of every 360 day year there was a period called Nemontemi which lasted 5 days (to balance out the solar calendar) that was associated with bad luck. Everyone would stay in their houses and fast, and no ceremonies or business would be done.

      • Every 52 years, the two Aztec calendars would align and a ritual would be performed to indicate a new beginning to the cycle. All temple and house flames were doused and then re-lit, new clothes would be bought, and tools and utensils would be replaced.

      • Many Aztec ceremonies had to do with planting and harvest seasons

      • Many Aztec ceremonies included one person who would represent and be treated as if they were the god the ceremony was in honor of


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