Teotihuacan Alabaster Mask

The period from about 150 to 900 A.D. was the most remarkable in the entire development of Mesoamerica. This era of fluorescence, known as the classic period, saw the emergence of great Mesoamerican civilizations, ones that could easily compare with those of other parts of the globe. It was truly the golden age of Mexico, when the arts reached their highest refinement, when the seeds that were planted earlier reached their fruition. The greatest city of all was ancient Teotihuacan, the most important site in the whole of Mexico. It was here, where the ancient gods met, and it was here that creative masterpieces, such as this spirited alabaster mask were skillfully rendered. We see in this striking image the characteristic Teotihuacan art style, elegant and refined, stylized and ordered, resulting in an ancient work of art that also appears strikingly modern. The Teotihuacan artist has skillfully reduced the facial features of the mask to a few lines and curves, in the mode of early 20th century abstract art, all of which serve to heighten and intensify the spirited essence of this powerful stone mask. Although the great civilization of Teotihuacan met its untimely end around 700 A.D., by the hand of invaders, the creative spirit of the people lives on in this bold stone mask, its dynamic energy transcending the boundaries time and space.