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Priest follower of Tlaloc, god of fertility

Priest follower of Tlaloc, god of fertility

ca. 1400 - 1521

The priest held a highly esteemed position because of his auspicious role as communicator between humans and gods, and because he oversaw the sacrificial offerings presented to the gods. An image of Tlaloc—god of water, earth and fertility—appears on the water jug under the priest's left arm. The priest wears a sleeveless jacket, and a headdress decorated with jade insets and a paper fan, symbols of water and fertility deities.
Stone
18 1/2 x 9 1/2 x 7 in. (46.99 x 24.13 x 17.78 cm)
Eugene Fuller Memorial Collection
52.150
location
Now on view at the Seattle Art Museum

Resources

Exhibition HistorySeattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, Art of the Ancient Americas, July 10, 1999 - May 11, 2003.

Seattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, Feasting with the Gods: Art and Ceremony in Ancient Mesoamerica and the Central Andes, Dec. 11, 2003 - July 19, 2004.

Seattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, Cosmic Beings in Mesoamerican and Andean Art, Nov. 10, 2018 - ongoing.
Published ReferencesMiller, Mary. "Art of Oceania, Mesoamerica, and the Andes." In Selected Works, pp. 59-64. Seattle: Seattle Art Museum, 1991; p. 63, reproduced (as Priest with Tlaloc Effigy).

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