Aztec Stone Figure of Chalchiuhtlicue

Chalchiuhtlicue was an Aztec goddess of water, rivers, seas, streams, storms, and baptism. Universally revered at the time of the Spanish conquest, she was an important deity figure in the Postclassic Aztec realm of central Mexico. Her name means “she of the jade skirt,” and she was the wife (in some myths, sister) of the rain god, Tlaloc. In fact, it is after a great offense of this particular deity upon her, that Chalchiuhtlicue was said to create a monumental deluge that is the Aztec equivalent of the great biblical flood. Despite this rather morbid event (which is actually seen in Aztec mythology in much the same way as biblical theology ie – a divine act of human purification), she is often seen as the embodiment of youthful beauty and noble ardor. And as can be noted in the present example of the standing type, Chalchihuitlicue’s distinctive hairdressing denotes this high status. Her headdress always consisted of several broad bands with large round tassels falling from either side, while her attire consisted of an extravagant shawl adorned with tassels and a green skirt. Our current example also wonderfully displays her iconic double braids falling from an elaborate hairstyle on the reverse. This is a superb rendering of one of the Aztec’s most revered deities, executed with masterful detail.