Aztec Tzompantli

These carved skulls (15th–16th cc.) were part of a tzompantli, a ritual display of sacrificial victims’ heads. Such racks, often placed near major temples like the Templo Mayor, symbolized death, power, and cosmic renewal. This stone version echoes the wooden originals, reflecting the Aztec vision of divine balance through blood and offering, emphasizing their belief in the cyclical nature of life and death.