In Pre-columbian Mexico, Aztec masks followed a tradition of many cultures. The art form was ancient, and had religious connections. Masks were created in a variety of ways for a number of purposes, but there's one thing that may surprise you about a typical type of mask - they were often made for display, not to be worn. That's why you'll often see masks with no eye-holes, or masks placed on stone or on skulls.


Aztec masks were used as ornaments, and were sometimes worn as part of a ritual, or in death as a death mask. They usually represented one god or another, and the Aztecs did have many gods. Like the artistry and materials, the Aztecs worshipped gods collected from a variety of cultures. A common type of mask would have snakes on it, a representation of the god Quetzalcoatl or perhaps Tlaloc. The masks generally then were used for worship of the gods, whether by being displayed in a temple or worn by a priest.