Teixiptla
Aztec deity / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A teixiptla is a deity embodiment used within Aztec ritual practice. Either a person or sculpture, teixiptlas were fashioned to represent deities and in some cases represent deceased ancestors who were venerated as deities.[1] It was an Aztec belief that through ritual costuming among other processes, the teixiptla assumes the life force/universal power (called teotl) of a deity and becomes their embodiment.[2] These ritual costumes included the flayed skin of sacrificial victims and/or deity regalia which included headdresses and clothing among other accouterments.[3] Teixiptlas were often the ritual centerpiece of Aztec festivals and were present throughout Aztec life in urban centers, countryside, etc.[1]