Double-Headed Serpent

This turquoise mosaic double-headed serpent (15th–early 16th c.) showcases Mixtec-Aztec artistry and mythology. In Nahuatl, coatl (serpent or twin) links the form to deities such as Quetzalcoatl. The intertwined bodies evoke a cosmic axis connecting earth and sky, central to Mesoamerican ritual thought. Likely produced by Mixtec artisans for the Aztec court, such mosaics were rare treasures, worn in ceremony to signal celestial and earthly power.