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Shell Vestment (Epnepaniuhqui)
Not on view
This arrangement of iridescent shell pieces formed a ritual garment called epnepaniuhqui in Nahuatl, meaning "joined mother-of-pearl." This example comes from Chamber II of the Templo Mayor, where it was found decorating an earthen mound on which a sculpture of Tlaloc, the Rain God, had been placed. The pieces represent serpent heads and rattles, likely allusions to Tlaloc and his helpers, who were referred to as epcoatl (meaning "mother-of-pearl serpent"), underscoring the relationship between the Rain God and this type of shell.
Este arreglo de piezas de concha tornasoladas era una prenda ritual llamada epnepaniuhqui en náhuatl, que significa "nácar unido". Este ejemplo proviene de la Cámara II del Templo Mayor, donde fue encontrado como si estuviera adornando un montículo de arcilla sobre el cual reposaba una escultura de Tláloc, el dios de la lluvia. Las piezas representan cabezas de serpientes y cascabeles que se refieren a Tláloc y a sus ayudantes, los tlaloqueh, también llamados epcoatl ("nácar serpiente"), subrayando así la relación entre el dios de la lluvia y esta concha tornasolada.
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