Mesoweb Features

Another naturalistic rendering of a fish. It has been proposed that individual fish "beads" were strung to form fish necklaces. Often, water-associated imagery is used as a reference to the Underworld, which was conceived of as a watery place. It could also be that the reference was less oblique, given the importance of water for agricultural societies.

Fish pendant
Mexica (Aztec)
Late Post-Classic period (1325-1521 A.D.)
Mexico City
Mother-of-pearl, with incised and drilled features
5.5 cm.
National Museum of Anthropology, Mexico.