Cociyo Urn at The Kimbell Art Museum, Texas

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The primary ceremonial center of Zapotec culture was the majestic site of Monte Alban, situated in the modern state of Oaxaca, where the Zapotecs reverently worshipped a vast pantheon of nature gods. Their rich cultural heritage is divided into four distinct stages, each characterized by the unique style of gray-ware effigy urns they carefully placed with their honored ancestors. This exquisite urn represents Cociyo, the revered Zapotec god of lightning and rain, identified by an intricate amalgam of facial elements forming a powerfully sculptural mask that exudes authority. The stepped, two-part forms surrounding the eyes evoke clouds and, by extension, the precious water essential for cultivating crops. The doubly plugged nasal extension is a sophisticated development from earlier snouted deity elements that seamlessly combine jaguar and snake allusions—the mighty roar of the jaguar with the reverberation of thunder. The three fangs protruding from this snout cover a bifurcated tongue, like the almost imperceptibly flashing tongue of a snake; the snake's tongue symbolizes the lightning bolt. The broad mouth with drawn-back lips is derived from Olmec prototypes, among which would have been images of the baby rain god. The rest of the attire is as much that of a high-ranking priest as of a deity, with the large disk-shaped earplugs and the knotted collar signifying high rank. The striations on the cape may be intended to represent feathers. The kilt is adorned with a wavelike pattern, featuring three attached tassels at the bottom. This ensemble thus echoes the various natural phenomena of a tropical mountain thunderstorm. This remarkable object is part of "Scan The World", a non-profit initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory, through which we are creating a comprehensive digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks and landmarks from across the globe for public access at no cost. Scan The World is an open-source community effort; if you have interesting items around you and would like to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to learn how you can help. This object was scanned using photogrammetry (processed with Agisoft PhotoScan).