Pottery mask at The British Museum, London

myminifactory

Masks were crafted from stone chosen for its striking appearance and symbolic significance. Their geometric designs mirror the principles evident in Teotihuacan's public architecture. Masks vary in size, spanning from small, portable objects to massive examples, with eyes and mouths once adorned with marine shell, turquoise, and polished iron pyrites. These masks were not intended for wear but were likely mounted on a wooden armature and elaborately costumed to represent deified ancestors and gods. Many have been discovered in the temples and administrative buildings along Teotihuacan's central avenue, known as the Street of the Dead. Some masks incorporate elements from earlier traditions. The Valley of Mexico lies within a vast mountain basin at an altitude of 2,000 meters. Here, Highland Formative communities settled in permanent lakeshore villages, adopted agriculture, and traded obsidian with neighboring regions. As the first millennium BC drew to a close, Teotihuacan's metropolis rose to dominate the central highlands of Mexico, exerting control over politics, economy, and religion. By AD 600, with a population exceeding 100,000, it was the largest urban center in the Americas and the sixth most populous city worldwide at that time. A three-mile-long ritual avenue bisected the city from north to south, flanked by plazas, palace compounds, and apartment complexes, all overshadowed by the imposing Pyramid of the Sun. Residential areas housed enclaves of foreign merchants and artisans from Veracruz and the Oaxaca Valley. In return, Teotihuacan dispatched its own trading and religious emissaries to distant sites such as Matacapan on the Gulf Coast and Kaminaljuyu and Tikal in Maya territory. This object is part of "Scan The World". Scan the World is a non-profit initiative launched by MyMiniFactory, which aims to create a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks, and landmarks from around the globe for public access. Scan the World is an open-source community effort; if you have interesting items nearby and wish to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to learn how you can help. Scanned using photogrammetry (processed with Agisoft PhotoScan)