Teotihuacan (14)


Source: WTL© digitized analogue photograph taken on site.
Notes: This is one of the sculptures of Tláloc, the god of rain and fertility (also known as Chaac—not Chac among the Mayas—or Chac Mool (sic). Tláloc was feared among the azteca/mexica because this god drowned children to appease him; i.e., so that he would bring rain. They believed Tláloc was responsible for rain, floods, and droughts. (Not enough rain, then more sacrifices were called for.) As you can see, Tláloc is distinctively shown as a blue (the key color of the Mayas) god with goggle eyes and with fangs. Human sacrifices of children were made in his honor. Before the victims were sacrificed, their tears were collected to serve as an offering to the god. It is said that Aztec priests made children cry before killing them as sacrificial offerings to Tláloc by tearing off their fingernails.
Humanities question: Relect on the photographic image of this pre-Columbian humanities artifact by (A) identifying what it stands for and (B) by writing briefly about its specifically artistic elements: configuration, style, materials, craftsmanship, and the matter of its potential beauty.