indonesian sculpture

Working in ceramic, artisans from the Angel Cerón Artisan Association depict an Aztec priest paying tribute to corn, the staff of life, a fundamental foodstuff in ancient Mesoamerica. "Maize was considered a sacred food, a source of life and, as such, a gift of the gods," the Mexican artisans say. To one side is the Aztec sun stone. Discovered in Mexico City, it is on display in the National Museum of Anthropology and History. The images on it depict the Aztec cosmogony.

With quick, lithe footsteps, a dancer invokes the spirit of the deer. This dance evolved among the Yaqui people in Northern Mexico. Artisans from the Angel Cerón Artisan Association depict the dancer in ceramic. "The Dance of the Deer is a religious tradition and the most important element in Yaqui folklore," the Mexican artisans say. "It is a colorful and dramatic representation, characteristic of the state of Sonora."

A skeletal figure, she stands with her hands raised in the posture of women who die in childbirth. Artisans from the Angel Cerón Artisan Association sculpt the image of Coatlicue, "She of the serpent skirt." The Mexica earth goddess and mother of the gods, her image bears the symbol "Eight Malinalli, or "grass." Her son Huitzilopochtli, the sun god and god of war, defended her from the powers of the night.

Angel Cerón reveals the presence of Chalchiuhtlicue as he works with clay extracted from the state of Oaxaca. Officially authorized to replicate pre-Hispanic museum pieces, Cerón crafts a detailed statuette of this feminine deity, the female companion of Tlaloc, Aztec god of rain. The original is dated between 1325 and 1521 A.D. Chalchiuhtlicue is the goddess of lakes, rivers, fountains, seas and oceans, and thus the protector of sailors and is also known as "She with the Jade Skirt" symbolizing pure and crystalline running water. "Chalchiuhtlicue is usually depicted holding a staff representing lightning, and a bag of copal, where clouds are formed. She is revered as the female principle of life and patron of midwives and newborns," explains Cerón who though he has officially retired, he continues to pursue his life-long passion for pre-Hispanic art.

Artisans from the Angel Cerón Artisan Association replicate the vivid sculpture of a Maya woman, believed to be related to the cult of the goddess of weavers. The original dates circa 600 - 800 AD and was found in the Island of Jaina, off the coast of Campeche. "The Maya named this island Hanal, which means 'house of water' and turned it into a commercial center," the artisans explain. "Renamed Jaina by the Spanish, the island is now famous for its myriad Maya tombs filled with a variety of statuettes and utensils, as was their custom. The fact that the original sculpture portrayed a woman with an elaborate headdress and detailed garments suggests she represented a person from the aristocracy."

A hand-crafted anthropomorphic bat snarls viciously as it bares its sharp teeth and sticks out its tongue. One of the many deities in the Central American religious pantheon and a symbol of darkness and death, this deity was believed to accompany the dead on their journey to the underworld. Artisans from the Angel Cerón Artisan Association bring us this impressive and awe-inspiring museum replica of a Zapotec ceramic funerary urn that dates back over 2000 years.

Artisans from the Angel Cerón Artisan Association capture the divine essence of Lord Chaac in this original ornate sculpture - an amagalm inspired by various Maya depictions. Chaac is God of Rain and one of the most important dieties in the Maya Pantheon. Elaborate ceremonies were performed in his honor requesting a good and plentiful harvest. "He is usually portrayed as an anthropomorphic image fusing reptilian or amphibian characteristics with that of an elderly human," explain the artisans regarding their original interpretation.