What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Mexico? Is it corn, peppers, cacti, or a strong-tasting tequila? Is it the mysterious Mayan pyramid, or the jaguar, the king of the rainforest...
The Paper learned that from July 1 to September 17, "The Descendants of the Jaguar - Mexican Ancient Civilization Exhibition" will be exhibited at the Hunan Museum, the exhibition brings together 154 pieces (sets) of fine cultural relics collected by 9 Mexican cultural institutions, with the jaguar as the main line, cultural anthropology as the perspective, the geographical environment, production and lifestyle, spiritual beliefs of ancient Mexicans to explain, back to the ancient culture of different periods, different regions, different ethnic groups in Mexico, and to show the Chinese audience a brilliant and long-standing, A colorful ancient Mexican civilization.
Poster of "Descendants of the Jaguar - Exhibition of Ancient Mexican Civilizations"
Mexico is one of the birthplaces of human civilization and one of the ancient cultural centers of the Indians on the American continent, where important ancient cultures such as Olmec culture, Teotihuacan culture, Mayan culture, Aztec culture and other important ancient cultures have been nurtured, and their cultural forms are diverse, intertwined and influenced each other. In the ancient Mexican beliefs, the cult of the jaguar occupies an important place, and the sacred character of the jaguar is an important symbol in many Mexican cultures. Through exquisite and fantastic artifacts, this exhibition outlines the lifelike historical process of Mesoamerican civilization over the millennia.
Key exhibits
"Prince" leopard man stone carving, 1200-900 BC, Veracruz, Xarapa, Museum of Anthropology
This Olmec humanoid stone sculpture, known as the "Prince", combines images of a jaguar and a man, showing its special status of honor and high rank. He adopts a feline sitting posture, with an oval face, a flat nose, slightly open lips, a peaceful demeanor, a cross-seated body, and fists in front of his legs, assuming a ruler's posture. He wears a tight helmet with cylindrical earrings on both sides representing elongated jadeite beads, highlighting his extraordinary status.
This fusion of the jaguar with the image of the ruler represents a magical process, symbolizing the religious desire of the "prince" in the higher strata of society to become a jaguar, conveying people's worship and awe of the jaguar.
Terraloc pottery of the rain god 600-900 AD Collection of the Museum of Anthropology of Harappa
Dressed in a distinctive Traloc costume, this pottery statue wears a headdress consisting of rectangular bands and unique protectors on its feet. From his appearance, it can be seen that he should have a high social status. Its round blindfolded eyes, shaped like clouds, are one of the important features of Traloc, the rain god representing rain and harvest. Some scholars believe that this pottery statue depicts the priest's transformation into the rain god, and his sitting posture with his hands around his legs can help him better connect with the otherworld.
Figures on the head of a jaguar pottery incense burner 600-900 AD Caves in the Taco Talpa Mountains Collection of the Carlos Periser Kamala Museum of Anthropology
Ancient Mexicans believed that caves were sacred spaces associated with life and death, and people often held rituals such as prayers, sacrifices, and purification in the caves. This incense burner from a cave in the Tacotalpa Mountains of Mexico depicts a man in a gorgeous costume with the characteristics of a jaguar standing on the head of a jaguar, mysterious and solemn. This incense burner is supposed to be used as a sacrificial vessel in rituals, highlighting the jaguar's status as the master of the underground world, highlighting the jaguar's supernatural powers, and also enhancing the sacred atmosphere of religious ceremonies.
Jade carving of leopard man 1200-400 BC Vimangiyo Raventa, Tabasco Collection of the Carlos Perisse Kamala Museum of Anthropology
The image of the jaguar occupies a prominent place and plays an important role in the historical development of the Olmec people. The ancient Olmec culture has begun to spread myths and legends that associate jaguars with people and create artistic images that combine jaguar and human characteristics. Although this leopard stone sculpture is basically human-shaped, the back of the head is obviously prominent, there is a "V" shaped groove on the top of the head, a pair of large almond eyes, a strange mouth shape, the tail is placed behind the body, and the sitting posture imitates the jaguar, etc., all of which combine the characteristics of the jaguar artistic image.
Leopard head stone carvings decorated with V-shaped ravines 1200-400 BC Collection of the Carlos Perisse Kamala Museum of Anthropology
This large stone sculpture shows the image of the head of the jaguar, which is a representative work of the Olmec stone carving of the head of the jaguar, with a large volume, two ears are erected, the eyes are protruding, and the deformed "ten" pattern and geometric pattern are decorated on it, the mouth is wide open, the fangs are all present, making it mighty and powerful, with deterrent power. There is a V-shaped ravine in the middle of the top of the leopard head, which symbolizes the plough furrow needed for water to flow into the corn field; The leopard's face is square and represents a corn field; The deformed "ten" pattern on the eyes symbolizes fertile cornfields. These artistic features reflect the close connection between land, water and jaguars in the ancient Mexican conception.
Statue of the Corn God Stone 1200-1521 AD Central Plateau Collection of the National Museum of Anthropology, Mexico
Corn cultivation promoted the transformation of the social form of ancient Mexico and prospered the ancient Mexican agricultural civilization. The ancient Mexicans believed that corn brought the land to life, and the worship of the corn god naturally developed. In ancient Mexico, different cultures that arose at different times and in different regions created unique corn gods. This corn goddess is Sivacoyatel, the corn goddess of Aztec culture, who holds a scepter and wears a distinctive rectangular headdress decorated with ears of corn, consistent with Aztec accounts of the corn goddess. Her name means "seven snakes" in Aztec, and the number "seven" represents the power of luck and reproduction. The ancient Mexicans created a large number of corn gods and prayed to the corn gods to bless the earth.
Terracotta of a leopard man with a jaguar 600-900 AD Zaportar, Veracruz Collection of the Museum of Anthropology of Harappa
This ceramic sculpture depicts a woman in modest dress and posture, with decorations on the right wrist and head. On her right shoulder lies a jaguar with a large mouth slightly open and a tongue exposed, with a natural and lifelike demeanor. Based on the characteristics of ancient Mexican culture, this jaguar is most likely the patron saint of this woman. Although humans and jaguars are separate individuals, the close spiritual connection makes humans and leopards one and the same. The woman in this statue has a deep connection with the jaguar at birth, and as she grows, the jaguar on her right shoulder is like a shadow, protecting her and becoming the purest and most powerful spiritual source of her personality.
"Baby Face" Humanoid Leopard Man Ceramic Sculpture 1200-900 BC Veracruz State of Xalappa Municipality San Pedro Hill Collection of the Museum of Anthropology of Xalapa
This terracotta statue is a hollow statue with the iconic baby face of the Olmec: a large head, shape-shaped almond eyes, perceptive eyes as if observing the movement of friendly forces, and wide lips as if issuing slogans, which indicates that he is participating in a "war" called a rubber ball game. The sport of rubber balls has both a recreational and religious purpose in Mexico and is very important for all of Mesoamerican culture. Mexicans continued to practice the sport for centuries before the arrival of the Spaniards, and they still do so, continuing their dedication to the sport in the arena.
Ceremonial incense burner 200-900 AD Palenque, Chiapas Collection of the Carlos Periser Kamala Museum of Anthropology
This incense burner of the Mayan culture has a jaguar head in the upper part and a sun god in the underground world on the lower part. The two deities appear on an artifact, highlighting the supernatural power of the jaguar and also enhancing the sacred atmosphere of the religious ceremony. During the sacrificial ceremony, these deities rested on incense burners, and burning incense, food, drink, prayers, music, and dance were offered to nourish and appease the gods and ask for favors to the gods. During the festivals of the Mayan culture, burning resin bowls were usually placed on top of incense burners. The priests then offer burning incense to communicate with ancestors and supernatural realm gods. The overflowing cigarettes shown in the huge sculptures and paintings are the carriers of communication between ancestors and the living, and the medium of communication between people and gods.
(This article is synthesized from the relevant materials of the Hunan Museum.) ）