Coateocalli - Aztec Deities in Vienna

At the heart of Tenochtitlan’s sacred precinct stood the Coateocalli—the “Temple of Union”—where images of conquered deities were brought together, removed from their original contexts and preserved in a new, shared setting. In this early house of images, we may glimpse a powerful metaphor for the collections that would emerge centuries later, in private chambers of curiosities and princely treasuries, in imperial collections and museums.

The earliest Mexican objects in the Weltmuseum Wien can be traced back to the sixteenth-century Habsburg treasuries, chambers of curiosities, and imperial collections. Among them are extraordinary works that have since become celebrated landmarks of Aztec art. Stone and ceramic sculptures of deities, vessels and lapidary works, obsidian and jade, textiles turquoise mosaics, gold and wood, codices, and the renowned featherworks bear witness to the richness and diversity of Mesoamerican artistic traditions.

Together, these objects tell a story not only of gods an