Home | Hall 1 | 2
| 3 | 4 | 5
| 6 | 7 | 8
|Supplementary Pages | Dictionary
Skull Masks
Skull masks are the symbol of death par excellence.
The examples found have shell and pyrite inlay to imitate eyes. Pyrite
was known as "fool's gold" and its main characteristic was its
golden color and mirror-like finish. This mask has a knife stuck in the
mouth like a tongue and another in the nasal cavity; perhaps the Mexicas
wanted to indicate the cutting off of air that allowed for the existence
of life itself and that could be detained by the act of sacrifice. It
has small perforations in the forehead bone, presumably to attach wavy
hair, characteristic of deities of death, or some material to simulate
hair.
