- Museum number
- Am1982,Q.860
- Description
-
Fragment of andesite oblong box, with relief carvings including a depiction of an ahuizotl, a semi-mythical Aztec creature resembling a water possum. On the front of the box is a depiction of Tlaloc, the Aztec rain god, holding a jar inscibed with the glyph meaning jade. Maize and water pour from the jar, becoming more jade glyphs accompanied by conch shells. Around Tlaloc's neck is a pectoral inscribed with the glyph for gold.
- Production date
- 15thC(late)
- Dimensions
-
Height: 23.20 centimetres
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Width: 34.50 centimetres
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Depth: 19.60 centimetres
- Curator's comments
- Drawn and described on "No Number" Slip in "Mexico, Ancient" group. Presented by A.W. Franks Esq. in 1872 - (previously Brasseur de Bourbourg Collection) "Grey volcanic stone; portion of chert [?] with subjects in relief." Apparently not registered at time of acquisition; drawn later on Slip; subsequently registered as Q1982Am.860 "Found unnumbered". The Slip was given number 249 in an overall South America "No Number" Slip sequence devised by CDMS staff in 1983, but the recognised Register number is the "Q" number.
NB: It is possible that the intended original Register number was Christy 8393 - no item is described in the Christy Register and Slips for this number, which falls in a sequence of material collected by Brasseur de Bourbourg and presented by A.W.Franks in 1872 (Christy 8376 to 8439). (AMD,10/1998).
- Location
- On display (G27/dc5)
- Exhibition history
-
Exhibited:
1990 20 Oct-9 Dec, Japan, Tokyo, Setagaya Art Museum, Treasures of the British Museum, cat. no.211
1991 5 Jan-20 Feb, Japan, Yamaguchi, Prefectural Museum of Art, Treasures of the British Museum, cat. no.211
1991 9 Mar-7 May, Japan, Osaka, National Museum of Art, Treasures of the British Museum, cat. no.211
2002 London, Royal Academy, Aztecs
2003 Berlin, Martin-Gropius-Bau, Aztecs
2009 24 Sep-2010 24 Jan, London, BM, Moctezuma: Aztec Ruler
2012 Mar-Jul, Abu Dhabi, Manarat al Saadiyat, Treasures of the World's Cultures
2012-2013 30 Nov-7 Apr, Bonn, Art and Exhibition Hall of the Federal Republic of Germany, Treasures of the World's Cultures
2015-2016 4 Dec - 03 Jul, National Museum of Singapore, Treasures of the World's Cultures
- Acquisition date
- 1872
- Department
- Africa, Oceania and the Americas
- Registration number
- Am1982,Q.860
- Additional IDs
-
Miscellaneous number: Am,N/N.249 (South America (Mexico, Ancient) "No Number" Slip sequence (CDMS allocated no.))
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Miscellaneous number: Christy 8393 (possible intended original Register no.)
