Misc 3 - Stephen Mason

Coatlique Monolith

 The Coatlique Monolith is a stone representation of a diety that was created by the people of Teotihuacan during the classic period in Mexico. Representing a very interesting depiction of a female deity for the people, she is portrayed as having a large serpent like head with a skirt that is made of snakes and a necklace that is made of human hands and a skull. This technique for representing female deities as horrifying monsters is common among pre-Columbian people, and is repeated in sculptural forms all around central and South America. The main reason that archaeologists and art-historians have identified for their depiction in this way is to make one fearful of the power of the deity, as well as inspire awe in the viewer. This runs parallel to the idea that we talked about in class with Rudolf Otto’s Mysterium Tremendum at Facinans that was coined in his book The Idea of the Holy. In the same way as Otto describes in his book, these images of deities being both scary and awe inspiring is a common way of representing them, and is repeated in many different cultures around the world.