The gracefully modeled breast-ornament representing a two-headed serpent (pl. XXXVI) is in the British Museum. The base is of light-colored wood, hollowed at the back and painted red. The front of the snake is covered with turquois mosaic; the teeth and fangs in each open jaw of the snake are made of white shell, while the edges of the gums are indicated with pink shell. Across each nose is a raised band of turquois and red shell. The heads have mosaic-work on both sides, and it is probable that the eye-sockets formerly contained discs of iron pyrites. On the upper edges of the two loops of the bodies are holes for suspension. Length 17⅛ inches, height 8 inches.
God Figure
The figure of the deity shown in pl. XXXVII is in the Vienna Museum. It has been described by Dr. Heger, who has kindly sent me a number of photographs of the object, and some details regarding it. This has been identified by Dr. Seler as representing the god Xolotl, one of the deities or guardians of the Tonalamatl.[107] The specimen does not contain much mosaic decoration, being of highly polished wood. It is 3½ inches high and 2¾ inches broad. Dr. Heger has courteously sent me the following notes concerning the specimen:
The posterior circular cavity (see side view) is partly filled with a resin-like mass, by means of which the piece must have been fastened to some other object. Vestiges of this resin-like substance are found in all the hollowed places where today some of the inlay is missing, as in each of the three rounded oval incurvations, of both lateral walls, in which probably small heads [of mosaic?] were also incrusted.
The eyes and the six small teeth consist of milk-white shells; the two hook-like canines consist of white mother-of-pearl-like shells. The two large ear-lobes, as well as the inferior part of the nasal septum, are perforated transversely. The pretty little human head at the navel of the figure probably consists of pitch-black obsidian. The ear-pendants are missing on the left side. The pupils of the eye (right one missing) are enclosed in small rings of mother-of-pearl. Projecting from the opened mouth, there is above the red tongue another small white shell-plate with three sharp downward points (teeth). The little head shows injury in several places.
PL. XXXVIII
STONE KNIFE WITH HANDLE OF WOOD WITH MOSAIC DECORATION
BRITISH MUSEUM, LONDON
PL. XXXIX