This stunning golden masterpiece designed to be worn around the neck contains complex iconography—which has led to heated debate over the identity of its owner
A stunning golden pectoral, designed to be worn around the neck of a Mixtec dignitary, was one of over 120 gold pieces found in a tomb in southern Mexico’s ancient city of Monte Albán. Rich in symbolism and iconography, the figure’s visual complexity has led to several different interpretations of its meaning and the identity of its subject.The rich pre-Columbian past of Mexico’s state of Oaxaca was largely hidden until archaeologist Alfonso Caso began his work there in 1930.
During their occupation, the Mixtec reused Monte Albán’s Zapotec structures, including royal tombs. Caso uncovered 20 buildings and 176 tombs at the site. In 1932, after tunneling through a wall of an elite residence, he discovered Tomb 7, considered by many to be the most spectacular find ever made in Mesoamerica.
One of his most stunning finds was a formidable golden pectoral, which Caso described as “[p]erhaps the most beautiful Mexican gold figure we know of.” Dazzling to behold, the pectoral also contains important information about Mixtec culture and the complex symbolic language in their art. Caso’s studies of the Mixtec calendar systems allowed him to interpret the artwork on the pectoral’s shoulders. He concluded that each piece corresponded to different calendars, that could be cross-referenced with calendar reform in the codices. Using this information, Caso believed the pectoral to depict a ruler known as Lord 5 Lizard.
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