In the Subway Station

Over the years, I have shown you some temporary art exhibits that were on display in Mexico City subway stations.  The downtown "Bellas Artes" station, however, has always had a permanent display of replicas of pieces from Mexico's pre-Hispanic civilizations.

The gruesome Aztec Mother Goddess Coatlicue with her necklace made of human hands and a heart.  The original sculpture was actually found during the excavation for the subway.

This is one of six figures from the Mayan city of Chichén Itzá which held up a sacrificial altar.

This figure from the Toltec civilization is known as a "Chac mool".  Sculptures such as this would be placed in front of temples, and offerings to the gods (such as human hearts) would be placed on the bowl over its stomach.

This figure of a woman comes from the Huastec culture along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico.

These are reproductions of paintings found in the Mayan city of Bonampak, deep in the tropical rainforests of southern Mexico.