Maize Deity (Chicomecoatl) 

This sculpture of Chicomecoatl, the Aztec maize deity, was carved from stone sometime between 1300 and 1521. The selection of stone as a medium is critical. It suggests permanence, and a connection to the earth. We see the inherent qualities of the stone expressed in the sculpture’s texture, weight, and color. The process of carving would have been labor-intensive, requiring skill and patience. Tools would have been used to chip away at the stone, slowly revealing the form of the deity. The sculpture embodies the Aztec people's relationship with the land, agriculture, and the divine. Carving, in this context, is not just a technique; it’s a way of investing labor, knowledge, and belief into a tangible form. It is not ‘fine art’ in a European sense, but it's an important artifact to reflect the Aztec relationship with the natural world.