Mexico’s Museo Nacional de Antropologia (National Museum of Anthropology) is one of the top things to do in Mexico City opened in 1968 after careful design by Pedro Ramírez Vázquez in collaboration with Jorge Campuzano y Rafael Mijares. So striking was the concept, that was awarded the gold medal at the 1965 São Paulo’s Architectural Bienal before a stone was turned; merely drawings and renders !
Between the parking area and the entry there is the Danza de los Voladores, where high-flyers hang from one foot and spin, descending around a 10-story pole. Once you finish gawking at this spectacle is the massive statue of water god Tjáloc, welcoming the visitor to the museum. The statue weights about 168 tons and was brought in from Coatlinchan, a town east of Mexico city. Behind Tlaloc, from the subterranean parking, emerges a waterfall. The path towards the entry is set with relaxing benches; note on the wall over the main doors is a predominant national coat of arms disc .
The Museo Nacional de Antropologia is a two floor structure with a grand inner courtyard, inspired by the Cuadrángulo de las Monjas de Uxmal. At the front of the courtyard is el paraguas (the umbrella), a massive structure supported by a concrete pillar in the center as water falls from around the top . Note the top of the walls in this area for replicas of a Aztec codices (screenfold books).
On the far side, lays a large rectangular pond with clusters of long grass and Irises. You move in and out of this astounding courtyard to the surrounding anthropology rooms: Introduction to anthropology, America’s population, pre-classic, Teotihuacan, Toltecs, Mexica, Oaxaca cultures, golf cultures, Maya, western cultures and northern cultures.
The building is a modern achievement to show off the excitement of Mexican Heritage!
TIP: If you are on a time crunch and have only one day to visit the large museum, skip the 2 first halls and jump directly into the Teotihuacan hall on the ground floor and continue on to the following sections. Then, if you have time in the end, visit the first two halls on the ground floor, followed by a jump to their second floor; there you can view a sample of the ethnolinguistic diversity from different corners of Mexico, and dioramas of their customs such as crafts, religion, music, and rituals. In this area, one can have a great look at some of the best examples of current Mexican handicrafts.
The cuauhxicalli
Were sculpted in different shapes and served as offering containers. Often holding the hearts and blood of the sacrificed captives as well as other kinds of offerings to the gods. This ocelot cuauhxicalli has a circular hole on the back decorated with the images of the gods Huitzilopochtli and Tezcatlipoca.
Toltec statue of Chac Mool from Chichen Itza; it’s name translates from Yucatecan Maya as “paw swift like thunder”. It is believed to represent a powerful warrior prince who had once ruled Chiche’n Itza.
The legend states that the Mexicans set out east from coastal Aztlán, present-day Nayarit, in search of where to settle and establish their empire. The trekked awaiting a sign from the god Huitzilopochtli telling them where to stop.
The sign they were looking for was quite specific: an eagle devouring a serpent while perched on a flowering nopal cactus on a small island in the middle of a lake.
After a long journey, the symbol appeared in the Valley of Mexico in 1325. The current site of CDMX / Mexico DF and the seat of empire for 700 years!
For the ancient Mexicans, the eagle symbolized the cosmic force of the sun, while the earth’s force was embodied in the image of the serpent. The eagle devouring the snake represents the communion of these vital forces. The nopal cactus being an important source of food in pre-hispanic times.
The 3.5 meters high, the statue of Coatlicue is one of the more representative pieces of the Museo Nacional de Antropologia. It belongs to the Mexica culture, is made out of Andesite, a volcanic rock, and dates 1325-1521 A.D. Coatlicue, is the goddess of earth and mothers.
Myth tells that Coatlicue was sweeping when a white ball of feathers fell from the sky. She picked it up and safeguarded it in her breasts. She then became miraculously pregnant by Huitzilopochtli, the sun and war god and patron god of Mexica. Her daughter Coyolxauhqui and the rest of her brothers, upset by the mysterious (immaculate) conception decided to kill their mother. At the instant in which they were ready to do the deed, Huitzilopochtli was born in all his warrior attire -holding the chimalli (shield) and the xiuhcoatl (fire serpent) instrument which he used to slay his new brothers and sister.
This myth symbolizes the birth of a new sun to govern a new world.
Statue of Xochipilli,
The Aztec god of art, games, beauty, dance, flowers, and song. Amazingly, traces of the red pigment in which the statue was originally painted are still visible. The Ear spools are a sign of noble status. Psychotropic flowers are sculpted on the body. Amongst them are the tobacco flower, used by the Aztecs to stimulate hallucinogens, morning glory – a vine with bell-shaped flower – used as a visionary intoxicant to gain knowledge and. Sinicuichi, a yellow flower for memory aid. On the knees and at the pedestal of the statue are mushroom flower motifs that represent clusters of magic mushrooms or Teonanacatl (flesh of the gods). On the chest is the skin of a beast and on its ankle are its claws. Very powerful indeed!
The Mexica Piedra de Tizoc
Discovered in 1791 deep in Mexico city’s main square. It dates from 1481-1486 A.D. and measures about a 267cm (8′-9″) in diameter. On top of this monument, a ritual was performed in which a Mexica warrior would fight a war prisoner. The prisoner would be given a weak weapon and the warrior would be fully armed; turning this fight into a sacrifice.
On the face of the stone you can see the carved scene of a Tizoc governor grabbing the prisoner by the head – a sign of the enemies defeat. Also note the top right corner on each frame, at that corner there is an icon of the defeated town.
Visitor Info: Museo Nacional de Antropología
(52) 55 5553 6275
Av Paseo de la Reforma S/N Esq. Calzada Ghandi, Chapultepec Polanco, Miguel Hidalgo,
Mexico City 11560 , México
www.mna.inah.gob.mx
OPEN HOURS:
9:00 – 19:00 Tuesday – Sunday
