On loan to The Met The Met accepts temporary loans of art both for short-term exhibitions and for long-term display in its galleries.
Face Ornaments of Quetzalcoatl
Not on view
These eye and mouth ornaments together form a face mask that was likely used in rituals. Forked-tongue serpents with pointed, feathered plumes curve over each eye ring. Often called by its Nahuatl name, Quetzalcoatl, or its Yukatek name, Kukulkan, the feathered serpent was one of Chichen Itza’s principal deities and appears in many places on the city’s monumental architecture. Individuals wearing face ornaments like these are also depicted in artwork at Chichen Itza.
Estos adornos para ojos y boca forman una máscara facial que era probablemente utilizada en rituales. Sobre cada anillo (los ojos) se curvan serpientes de lenguas bífidas con plumas puntiagudas. Comúnmente llamado por su nombre náhuatl, Quetzalcóatl, o su nombre Yucateca, Kukulkan, la serpiente emplumada era una de las principales deidades de Chichen Itzá y estaba ampliamente representada en la arquitectura monumental de la ciudad. Los personajes que vestían adornos similares están representados en las obras de arte de Chichen Itzá.
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