Sculpture of Tlaloc

This green stone sculpture represents the god of rain and fertility that comes from Teotihuacan; he is one of the oldest and most frequently represented gods in Mesoamerica. Tlaloc is the name of that god among the Post-Classic Nahuatl people; it is not known what he was called in Teotihuacan. Although each region and each culture has its own name and specific features, many share the same iconographic elements; therefore, it is very easy to distinguish a god within the Mesoamerican pantheon.

His image is characterized by rings or blinders on the eyes, the ends of his mustache curving upwards, and the long fangs. In Teotihuacan, an agricultural community, he plays an important role; as proof of this, representations of him abound in various expressions, including ceramics, mural painting and sculpture. Sometimes Teotihuacan artists used the strategy of synthesizing him by only representing him with his mustache and fangs. The abstraction of the representations one of the stylistic features of the art of this great city.

The image has all the features of the rain god: the rings around the eyes, mustache and fangs. The three triangular objects on the head, rectangular earrings and the double band on the forehead are also common elements. The motifs are done with sgraffito most likely with a tool with a tip made of crystal from some hard mineral, due to the quality of the lines and the hardness of the material. There is a deep hole from the top to the base which suggests that the figure served as a recipient. The strange little piercing on the upper right side of the face, which does not quite have the shape of the ear, suggests that the piece remained in an unfinished state, and shows us the technique of the Pre-Columbian lapidary work.