| Disk of Mictlāntēcutli | |
|---|---|
| El Disco de la Muerte | |
 | |
| Material | Basalt |
| Length | 102 cm (40 in)[1] |
| Height | 126 cm (50 in)[1] |
| Width | 102 cm (40 in)[1] |
| Discovered | 1963 Teotihuacan |
| Discovered by | Archaeologists |
| Present location | National Museum of Anthropology |
| Culture | Aztec |
TheDisk of Mictlāntēcutli (Nahuatl:[mik.t͡ɬaːn.ˈteːkʷ.t͡ɬi]ⓘ), otherwise known as theDisk of Death, is apre-Hispanic sculpture depictingMictlāntēcutli, theAztec god of death and ruler ofMictlān, the underworld of Aztec mythology.[1] Archaeologists found the artwork inTeotihuacan'sPyramid of the Sun in 1963. Thebasaltic rock disk is partly destroyed. The disk was created between 1 CE and 600 CE. The sculpture features a skull with the tongue out and is surrounded by a pleated paper headdress.
For the Aztecs, Teotihuacan was the place where theFifth Sun was born. They conducted pilgrimages fromTenochtitlan to honor the city and leave gifts, which included the disk. The meaning of the sculpture is uncertain, although archaeologists do not rule out the possibility that it alludes to sun death orhuman sacrifice.[2]
The piece is on display at Mexico City'sNational Museum of Anthropology in the Teotihuacan exhibition.[2]
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