The Mexica dressed simply but distinctively, and their clothing, adornments, and cosmetics were important markers of social status, religious affiliation, and ethnic identity. The basic garments of the Mexica were a loincloth for men and a long skirt for women, both made of cotton or maguey fiber. The nobility wore more elaborate clothing, including cotton garments decorated with embroidery and feathers, and they had access to a wide range of jewelry, including ear spools, lip plugs, necklaces, and ankle bands. The Mexica also used a wide range of cosmetics, including a red dye made from the cochineal insect and a black dye made from lead ore. The sumptuary laws of the Mexica regulated who could wear what, and they reinforced the social distinctions of Mexica society.
Basic Garments
The basic garment of the Mexica man was a loincloth, called a maxtlatl, which was a strip of cloth passed between the legs and tied at the waist. The maxtlatl was often supplemented by a cloak, called a tilmatli, which was a rectangular piece of cloth tied over one shoulder. The tilmatli could be worn in a variety of ways, and it was used to indicate the social status of the wearer. The tilmatli of the commoners was typically made of maguey fiber or rough cotton, while the tilmatli of the nobles was made of fine cotton decorated with embroidery and feathers.
The basic garment of the Mexica woman was a long skirt, called a cueitl, which was wrapped around the waist and reached to the ankles. The cueitl was often supplemented by a blouse, called a huipil, which was a loose-fitting garment that covered the upper body. The huipil of the commoners was typically made of maguey fiber or rough cotton, while the huipil of the nobles was made of fine cotton decorated with embroidery. The cueitl and the huipil were often decorated with elaborate designs, and they were a sign of the skill of the woman who had made them.
The Mexica also wore a variety of other garments, including shirts, trousers, and leggings, particularly for activities such as hunting, fishing, and war. The Mexica warriors wore a distinctive uniform that included a helmet, a shield, and a quilted cotton armor, called an ichcahuipilli. The uniforms of the Eagle Warriors and the Jaguar Warriors were particularly elaborate, and they were designed to resemble the animals whose names they bore.
The Sumptuary Laws
The Mexica had a system of sumptuary laws that regulated who could wear what. The laws were designed to reinforce the social distinctions of Mexica society, and they specified the clothing, the jewelry, and the cosmetics that could be worn by the various social ranks. The sumptuary laws were enforced by the market officials and by the local authorities, and violations were punished with fines, with the confiscation of the offending items, and sometimes with slavery.
The most important sumptuary restrictions were on cotton clothing, on jewelry, and on cosmetics. Cotton was a luxury item that was imported from the Gulf Coast, and only the nobles and the wealthy commoners could afford it. The use of cotton was regulated by law, and commoners were forbidden from wearing cotton garments. The use of jewelry was also regulated, and only the nobles could wear the most elaborate pieces, including ear spools, lip plugs, and gold and jade ornaments.
The sumptuary laws also regulated the use of feathers, which were the most prestigious materials of the Mexica. The long green feathers of the quetzal bird were reserved for the Tlatoani and for the high priests, and they were used in the great headdresses and in the religious regalia. The feathers of other tropical birds were also highly prized, and they were used in the clothing and the ornaments of the nobility.
Jewelry and Adornments
The Mexica were famous for their jewelry and adornments, which were made from a wide range of materials, including gold, silver, copper, jade, obsidian, bone, shell, and feathers. The most distinctive pieces of Mexica jewelry were the ear spools, which were large disks worn in the lobes of the ears, and the lip plugs, which were small ornaments worn in the lips. The ear spools and lip plugs were often made of gold or jade, and they were a sign of high social status.
The Mexica also wore a wide range of other jewelry, including necklaces, bracelets, ankle bands, and finger rings. The necklaces were often made of gold or jade beads, and they were sometimes combined with other materials, including bone, shell, and feathers. The bracelets and ankle bands were often made of gold or copper, and they were decorated with elaborate designs. The Mexica also wore nose ornaments, particularly the nobles and the priests, and the nose ornaments were often made of gold or jade.
The most prestigious material for Mexica jewelry was jade, which was imported from the highlands of Guatemala. Jade was a symbol of life and of fertility, and it was used in the religious regalia of the high priests. Gold was also highly prized, and it was used in the jewelry of the nobles and in the religious regalia. Silver was used in the jewelry of the commoners, and copper was used in the tools and the weapons of the Mexica.
Featherwork
Featherwork was the highest art form of the Mexica, and it was reserved for the nobles and for religious use. The Mexica featherworkers, who were organized into a special guild, were among the most skilled artisans in the Mexica state, and their products were highly valued throughout Mesoamerica. 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 Mexica featherworkers produced a wide range of objects, including headdresses, shields, capes, and fans. The headdresses were particularly impressive, and they were worn by the Tlatoani and by the high priests on religious occasions. 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 Mexica featherworkers used a technique called amantecayotl, in which the feathers were glued to a base of paper or cotton. The technique allowed the featherworkers to create elaborate designs, and it was used to produce a wide range of objects. The featherworkers of Tenochtitlan were organized into a special guild, and they were granted special privileges, including the right to live in a special neighborhood of the city.
Cosmetics and Body Modification
The Mexica used a wide range of cosmetics, including a red dye made from the cochineal insect and a black dye made from lead ore. The red dye was used to color the lips, the cheeks, and the hair, and it was a sign of beauty and of high social status. The black dye was used to color the hair, the eyebrows, and the eyelashes, and it was also a sign of beauty. The Mexica also used a yellow dye made from the axin insect, which was used to color the skin and the hair.
The Mexica also practiced a range of body modifications, including the wearing of ear spools, lip plugs, and nose ornaments. The ear spools and lip plugs were often made of gold or jade, and they were a sign of high social status. The Mexica also practiced cranial modification, in which the head of the child was bound to give it a particular shape. The most common form of cranial modification was the sloped forehead, which was considered to be a sign of beauty.
The Mexica also practiced tattooing, although this was less common than in some other Mesoamerican cultures. The tattoos were typically used to mark the warriors and the priests, and they often represented the patron deity of the wearer. The tattoos were applied with a sharpened stick or a bone, and the dye was made from the ink of the mollusks or from the soot of the ocote pine.
The Survival of Mexica Dress
Many elements of Mexica dress have survived in the traditional clothing of the modern Mexican population. The basic garments of the man and the woman, including the maxtlatl, the tilmatli, the cueitl, and the huipil, are still worn in many parts of Mexico, particularly in the rural and indigenous communities. The use of the metate and the backstrap loom, the traditional tools for grinding maize and for weaving cloth, are still practiced in many Mexican communities, and the products of these tools are a continuing tradition.
The Spanish conquest brought new materials and new styles to Mexican dress, including wool, silk, and the European styles of the Spanish. Yet many of the basic elements of Mexica dress survived, and they shape the Mexican national identity. The traditional Mexican dress, with its bright colors, its elaborate embroidery, and its distinctive designs, is a direct descendant of the Mexica tradition.
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See also:
- How did Aztec clothing differ by social class? — the sumptuary system
- What were Aztec jewelry and ornaments made of? — the materials and techniques
- What was the significance of feathered headdresses? — the most prestigious art form
- Social Classes and Structure in Aztec Society — the social context
- Family Life and Childhood in the Aztec World — the social context of dress
- Aztec Society and Daily Life — the broader social context