Stone of Tepetzintla

myminifactory

This stone relief depicts a female figure linked to the earth and "deep layers", known as the underworld, which is why it's positioned horizontally. Women in this realm have claws instead of hands and feet, along with discarded ribs. Those who died in childbirth were revered as warrior goddesses; their bodies often lay entombed in clay sculptures from the Classical Period at the heart of Veracruz. This figure is also associated with Xochiquetzal, a deity overseeing the land's products and "mother of twins": her side heads show Quetzalcoatl-Ehecatl as the god of wind in various Borgia Group codices. The sculpture was initially thought to be an allusion to this god, representing a morning star, placed with its head up. It was also believed to symbolize the evening star and positioned inversely. However, considering all its elements, it's ultimately recognized as a representation of Gulf Coast goddesses, embodied through images of the earth - where life and death originate.