Seated Figure of Xiuhtechtli at The British Museum, London

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In Aztec mythology, Xiuhtecuhtli ("Turquoise Lord" or "Lord of Fire"), was a powerful god who ruled over fire, day and heat. He controlled volcanoes, personifying life after death, warmth in cold weather, light in darkness, and food during times of famine. He also went by the names Cuezaltzin ("flame") and Ixcozauhqui, and was sometimes considered to be the same as Huehueteotl ("Old God"), although Xiuhtecuhtli is usually depicted as a young deity. His wife was Chalchiuhtlicue. Xiuhtecuhtli was often seen as a manifestation of Ometecuhtli, the Lord of Duality, and according to the Florentine Codex, he was considered to be both mother and father of the Gods, who lived in the turquoise enclosure at the center of the earth. The Nahuatl word xihuitl means "year" as well as "turquoise" and "fire", and Xiuhtecatl was also the god of time. In the 260-day ritual calendar, Xiuhtecuhtli was the patron deity of the day Atl ("Water") and with the trecena 1 Coatl ("1 Snake"). He was one of the nine Lords of the Night and ruled over the first hour of the night, known as Cipactli ("Alligator"). Xiuhtecuhtli was a revered god among the Aztec emperors, who saw themselves as his living embodiment upon their enthronement. The deity was also a patron god of the pochteca merchant class. Stone sculptures of Xiuhtecuhtli were ritually buried as offerings, and many statuettes have been recovered from excavations at the Great Temple of Tenochtitlan, which he closely associated with. Statuettes from the temple depict a seated male figure with his arms crossed. A sacred fire was always burning in Xiuhtecuhtli's temples. As a token of gratitude for the gift of fire, the first mouthful of food from each meal was tossed into the hearth. This object is part of "Scan The World", a non-profit initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory to create a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks and landmarks from around the globe for the public to access at no cost. Scan the World is an open-source community effort, where anyone with interesting items can contribute. If you have something to share, email stw@myminifactory.com to find out how you can help.