The artwork, known as the “Aztec Sun Stone (Calendar Stone),” is a monumental piece created around c.1427 by Aztec artists during the Post-classic period (c.900-1580). It is a stone sculpture embodying intricate carvings, currently housed in the Museo Nacional de Antropologia (MNA) in Mexico City, Mexico.
The “Aztec Sun Stone (Calendar Stone)” is a circular piece of stonework featuring an elaborate design that is both visually captivating and rich in symbolic meaning. Dominating the face of the stone is the depiction of Tonatiuh, the sun god, at the center with his tongue protruding in the form of a sacrificial blade. Radiating outwards are complex glyphs and figures that represent various calendrical and cosmological elements central to Aztec cosmology. The outermost ring is adorned with serpentine forms and additional motifs that further enrich the historical and cultural context of the artwork. This sculpture not only served a practical purpose as a calendar but also stands as an enduring testament to the artistic and intellectual achievements of the Aztec civilization.
