Warrior with the Sun Stone

Depicted in the Florentine Codex as well as in historic paintings, the jaguar warrior comes to life in ceramic. Artisans from the Angel Cerón Artisan Association portray him wearing a mask that represents the fierce spotted cat. These fighting men formed one of the elite divisions of the Aztec army. To one side is the Aztec sun stone, discovered in Mexico City and on display in the National Museum of Anthropology and History.

The Aztecs (or Mexica, as they called themselves) believed that the sun struggled daily against the forces of darkness. They aided the sun through human sacrifices.