The Mexica economy was supported by a wide range of crafts and industries, and the Mexica were skilled artisans whose products were highly valued throughout Mesoamerica. The Mexica produced a wide range of goods, including pottery, woven cloth, baskets, tools, weapons, jewelry, and ceremonial objects. The most prestigious of these crafts was featherwork, which involved the use of brightly colored feathers from tropical birds, particularly the quetzal, to create elaborate headdresses, shields, and other objects. The Mexica were also skilled potters, and they produced a wide range of vessels, figurines, and other objects in clay. The Mexica craftsmen were organized into a hierarchy of guilds, with each guild having its own patron deity and its own rituals.
The Featherworkers
The featherworkers of Tenochtitlan were among the most skilled artisans in the Mexica state, and their products were among the most prestigious goods in the Mexica economy. The featherworkers produced a wide range of objects, including headdresses, shields, capes, and fans, and they used the brightly colored feathers of tropical birds, particularly the quetzal, to create elaborate designs. The featherworkers used a technique called amantecayotl, in which the feathers were glued to a base of paper or cotton, and the technique allowed the featherworkers to create elaborate designs of great beauty.
The featherworkers were organized into a special guild, and they had their own patron deity, who was Quetzalcoatl, the Feathered Serpent. The featherworkers had their own temples in Tenochtitlan, and they performed elaborate rituals to honor their patron deity. The featherworkers were also responsible for the training of new artisans, and they had a monopoly on the production of featherwork.
The most prestigious feathers were the long green feathers of the quetzal bird, which were reserved for the Tlatoani and for the high priests. The quetzal feathers were imported from the highlands of Guatemala, and they were extremely valuable. The most famous of the Mexica headdresses is the headdress of Moctezuma II, which is now preserved in the Museum of Ethnology in Vienna. The headdress is made from the long, iridescent green feathers of the quetzal, prized as the most valuable of all Mexica materials, and finished with gold and jade ornaments. A few of the original feathered headdresses have survived in European collections; the most famous, long attributed to Moctezuma II, is now preserved in the Museum of Ethnology in Vienna.
The Potters
The Mexica were skilled potters, and they produced a wide range of vessels, figurines, and other objects in clay. The Mexica pottery was typically painted in bright colors, and it was decorated with images of the gods, of the calendar, and of everyday life. The Mexica pottery was used for a wide range of purposes, from the storage of food and drink to the performance of religious rituals.
The Mexica had a sophisticated system for the production of pottery, and they developed a number of techniques for the shaping, the firing, and the decoration of the vessels. The most common technique was the coiling method, in which the clay was rolled into long coils and then stacked on top of each other to form the vessel. The vessel was then smoothed and shaped, and it was allowed to dry before being fired in a kiln. The vessel was then painted with bright colors, and it was ready for use.
The Mexica had a number of distinctive styles of pottery, and the styles varied by region, by period, and by function. The most common style was the orangeware, which was characterized by its orange color and its simple geometric designs. The second most common style was the polychrome, which was characterized by its bright colors and its elaborate designs. The Mexica also produced a number of other styles, including the blackware, the grayware, and the redware.
The Metalworkers
The Mexica were skilled metalworkers, and they produced a wide range of objects in gold, silver, and copper, although they had no knowledge of iron. The Mexica metalworking was concentrated in the production of jewelry, religious objects, and tools, and the most skilled metalworkers served the Tlatoani and the high priests. The metalworkers used a number of techniques, including hammering, casting, and soldering, and they produced objects of great beauty and sophistication.
The Mexica obtained gold and silver from various sources, including the rivers of the Pacific coast and the mines of the highlands. The gold and silver were hammered into thin sheets, which were then shaped into the desired forms. The Mexica also used the lost-wax casting technique, in which a wax model of the object was made and then covered with clay. The clay was then heated, the wax melted and flowed out, and the molten metal was poured into the mold. The mold was then broken, and the object was removed and finished.
The Mexica also used a technique called depletion gilding, in which copper was heated and treated to give it a golden appearance. The technique was used to produce a wide range of objects, including bells, ornaments, and small figurines. The Mexica also used copper for tools and weapons, and the copper axe-blades were a form of money in the Mexica economy.
The Stonecutters
The Mexica were skilled stonecutters, and they produced a wide range of objects in stone, including tools, weapons, jewelry, and architectural elements. The Mexica used a variety of stones, including obsidian, chert, jade, basalt, and limestone, and they developed a number of techniques for the shaping and the polishing of the stones. The most skilled stonecutters served the Tlatoani and the high priests, and they produced some of the most impressive works of Mexica art.
The most important material for the stonecutters was obsidian, which was used for a wide range of tools and weapons, including knives, scrapers, arrowheads, and the blades of the macuahuitl. The obsidian was obtained from the mines of the highlands, particularly the mines of Pachuca, and it was traded throughout Mesoamerica. The obsidian was worked by knapping, in which a stone hammer was used to strike the obsidian and to shape it into the desired form. The Mexica stonecutters were among the most skilled in the pre-Columbian Americas, and their products were prized for their sharpness and their beauty.
The Mexica also used jade, which was obtained from the highlands of Guatemala, for the production of jewelry and religious objects. The jade was shaped by cutting and polishing, and the most skilled stonecutters could produce objects of great beauty and sophistication. The Mexica jade workers were particularly famous for their masks, which were worn by the high priests and the high officials in the religious rituals.
The Weavers
The Mexica were skilled weavers, and they produced a wide range of textiles, including cotton and maguey fiber cloth. The weavers used a number of techniques, including the backstrap loom, the foot loom, and the treadle loom, and they produced cloth of various qualities and designs. The most skilled weavers served the Tlatoani and the nobility, and they produced cloth that was decorated with elaborate designs in a variety of colors.
The Mexica obtained cotton from the Gulf Coast, and they used it for the production of high-quality cloth. The cotton was spun into thread, and the thread was then woven into cloth on the backstrap loom. The cloth was then dyed in a variety of colors, using dyes made from plants, animals, and minerals. The most common colors were red, blue, yellow, and black, and the dyed cloth was then decorated with elaborate designs.
The Mexica also produced cloth from maguey fiber, which was obtained from the leaves of the maguey plant. The maguey fiber was prepared by soaking the leaves in water and then scraping the fibers from the leaves. The fibers were then spun into thread, and the thread was woven into cloth on the backstrap loom. The maguey fiber cloth was less prestigious than the cotton cloth, and it was used primarily by the common people.
The Guilds
The Mexica craftsmen were organized into a hierarchy of guilds, with each guild having its own patron deity, its own temple, and its own rituals. The guilds were responsible for the training of new craftsmen, for the regulation of production, and for the maintenance of the quality of the products. The guilds shaped the Mexica social and economic life, and they played a major role in the cultural and religious life of the state.
The most important guilds included the featherworkers, the potters, the metalworkers, the stonecutters, the weavers, and the basketweavers. Each guild had its own neighborhood in Tenochtitlan, and the craftsmen of each guild lived and worked together. The guilds were led by senior craftsmen, who were elected by the members of the guild. The senior craftsmen were responsible for the supervision of the production, the training of the new craftsmen, and the maintenance of the quality of the products.
The guilds had their own patron deities, and they performed elaborate rituals to honor their patron deities. The most important rituals included the offering of the first fruits of the production, the sacrifice of human victims in the most important ceremonies, and the performance of the monthly festivals of the veintenas. The guilds also had their own temples, where the patron deities were worshipped and where the rituals were performed.
The Survival of the Mexica Crafts
Many elements of the Mexica crafts and material culture survived the Spanish conquest and continued to influence Mexican culture. The tradition of the featherworker, the potter, the metalworker, the stonecutter, and the weaver continued in many indigenous communities, and the products of these craftsmen were part of the Mexican economy. The Spanish also recognized the skill of the Mexica craftsmen, and they employed indigenous artisans in the production of goods for the colonial market.
The modern Mexican crafts, with their bright colors, their elaborate designs, and their distinctive styles, are a direct descendant of the Mexica tradition. The modern Mexican potters, weavers, metalworkers, and stonecutters continue to use many of the techniques and the designs of their Mexica ancestors, and their products shape the Mexican national identity. The persistence of the Mexica craft tradition in the face of intense Spanish pressure ranks among the great survivals of Mexican culture.
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See also:
- How was Aztec pottery made? — the ceramic tradition
- What materials did Aztec artisans use? — the raw materials
- How did craftsmen organize in Aztec society? — the guilds
- Clothing, Dress, and Adornment — the featherwork
- Trade Networks Across Mesoamerica — the distribution of crafts
- Aztec Economy, Agriculture, and Trade — the broader context