The mosaic dates to the Postclassic period of Mesoamerican art (approximately 900-1521), specifically the Aztec Empire. It presents a high point in Aztec craftsmanship and artistic expression, preceding the Spanish conquest. It is representative of the sophisticated artistic traditions that flourished in Central Mexico before European contact, and stands alongside other examples of Aztec featherwork, sculpture, and monumental architecture. It reflects a continuation of earlier Mesoamerican artistic traditions, particularly those of the Olmec and Maya civilizations, but with a distinct Aztec style.

Mosaic of a Double-Headed Serpent, Artist Not Known, 1400, British Museum (London, UK)

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Bell, Head, Artist Unknown, c. 900 - 1580, Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York City, NY)

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Aztec emperors ruled over a vast portion of what is now Central Mexico and parts of Guatemala at the time Spaniards arrived in the capital of Tenochtitlan in 1519. From humble beginnings in the 14th century, the Mexica (as the core cultural group is properly known) formed alliances with established kingdoms and city-states consolidating their tribute-based empire with considerable speed. Part of their imperial strategy included the dissemination of an official religion. Aztec temple models were distributed widely, functioning as tools of the empire to promote the expansion of the state religion at the household level. Aztec temple models replicate key details of their full-size counterparts and may have acted as stand-ins for these buildings or served as earthly homes for deities. Some include a figure at the summit, perhaps representing a deity, a deity impersonator, or even a personification of the temple itself. Most of these models are square from the base through the summit. Examples with a circular base echo the rounded structures of temples dedicated to the wind god, Ehecatl. Made in considerable numbers with the use of press molds, these models, like the Aztec temples, were once painted in bright colors.

Temple Model, c. 1531, The Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, NY)

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