Man Carrying a Cacao Pod
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The Brooklyn Museum is commemorating its 200th anniversary by spotlighting 200 standout objects in its encyclopedic collection.
This sculpture of a man carrying a cacao pod exemplifies Mexica stoneworkers’ skill in carving delicate and graceful figures out of coarse volcanic stone. Carved with a compact body and rounded limbs, the man wears the traditional male loincloth (maxtlatl) and headdress. Red pigment, likely derived from the mineral hematite, is visible around his mouth, ears, and central headdress ornament.
Native to the Americas, the cacao tree (Theobroma cacao) thrives in the warm, tropical climates of Mexico and Central America. The ancient Mexica people roasted cacao beans, grinding them into powder before mixing with water and sometimes maize. The resulting drink was seasoned with vanilla, chilies, or other spices. The beverage was so prized that cacao beans were a highly valued long-distance trade item. In addition, the beans were used as tribute and currency in the Mexica Empire. This sculpture may represent one of the long-distance merchants (pochteca) who transported cacao pods from the Gulf Coast to markets throughout the empire.
Object Label
The importance of maize (corn) and chocolate, two of the many plants native to the Americas, is exemplified by these Aztec sculptures. <br />
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The relief panel of the maize goddess Chicomecóatl may have been set into an altar. Chicomecóatl controlled the positive and negative powers of growth and famine. Her elaborate headdress is topped by two ears of corn. In her right hand, she holds a snake-shaped rattle staff, used to penetrate and fertilize the soil. <br />
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The man carrying a cacao pod may represent one of the merchants who brought cacao beans from the tropical coastal lowlands to the Valley of Mexico. Chocolate, made from the beans of the cacao pod, was a popular drink in Aztec society.
Caption
Aztec. Man Carrying a Cacao Pod, 1440–1521. Volcanic stone, traces of red pigment, 14 1/4 x 7 x 7 1/2in. (36.2 x 17.8 x 19.1cm). Brooklyn Museum, Museum Collection Fund, 40.16. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 40.16_front_PS9.jpg)
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Gallery
Not on view
Collection
Gallery
Not on view
Collection
Culture
Title
Man Carrying a Cacao Pod
Date
1440–1521
Geography
Place found: Amatlan, Mexico
Medium
Volcanic stone, traces of red pigment
Classification
Dimensions
14 1/4 x 7 x 7 1/2in. (36.2 x 17.8 x 19.1cm)
Credit Line
Museum Collection Fund
Accession Number
40.16
Rights
Creative Commons-BY
You may download and use Brooklyn Museum images of this three-dimensional work in accordance with a Creative Commons license. Fair use, as understood under the United States Copyright Act, may also apply. Please include caption information from this page and credit the Brooklyn Museum. If you need a high resolution file, please fill out our online application form (charges apply). For further information about copyright, we recommend resources at the United States Library of Congress, Cornell University, Copyright and Cultural Institutions: Guidelines for U.S. Libraries, Archives, and Museums, and Copyright Watch. For more information about the Museum's rights project, including how rights types are assigned, please see our blog posts on copyright. If you have any information regarding this work and rights to it, please contact copyright@brooklynmuseum.org.
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