Throughout the 15th and 16th centuries, the Aztec Empire spread from Mexico to Honduras. The Aztecs had a vibrant culture, with many forms of art and crafts. Often the difference between arts and crafts can be difficult to distinguish, since many so-called crafts used original, highly skilled techniques.
Jewelry
Aztec metalworkers created jewelry from metals such as gold, silver and copper. When working with gold, they would often pour the molten metal into molds. Members of the higher classes often wore earrings and necklaces, as well as bracelets that included precious stones.
Feather Work
The Aztecs made elaborate feather headdresses. Often made with macaw, parrot and quetzal feathers, the headdress extended in a fan around the wearer's head. Headdresses bearing precious metals and gemstones, such as gold or jade, symbolized the wearer's high status. Elite members of society often wore feathers on banners worn on the shoulders and on other garments.
Musical Instruments
Drums had great importance in Aztec culture, says Manuel Aguilar-Moreno in "Handbook to Life in the Aztec World." Drummers played at parties and even in battle, directing the warriors. Wind instruments such as trumpets, flutes, conchs and whistles often accompanied recitals of poems, though a drum could be played as well.
Sculpture
Highly skilled artists carved stone sculptures for wealthy patrons. These sculptures have become famous icons of Aztec society, embodying the opulence of the high period of the empire.
Masks
Aztec artisans often created mosaic masks from bits of semi-precious stones such as jade, obsidian and turquoise. The masks were often bright and colorful.
Pottery
Aztec potters made many types of vessels, such as painted water jars, griddles and pots, bowls, cups, plates, and even whistles and stamps. Pottery could be used for storing food as well as preparing and serving it.
Weaving
Weavers created long, flowing garments and blankets. Women spun and wove cotton cloth at home, and taught their daughters how to weave. Clothing for elite citizens often bore elaborate embroidery.
Other Crafts
The Aztecs produced many other skilled crafts as well, from sandals to weapons. Obsidian tools made with precise attention to detail were very much in demand. Craft trades were highly specialized, with a relatively small number of people producing many of the goods used throughout the society. Artisans could sell their wares in a marketplace, though some produced luxury goods to fulfill the every whim of an elite patron.
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