Embroidery of two indigenous warriors in traditional attire battling each other, with one wielding a club and the other a spear, on a white fabric background.

Xochiquetzal and Huitzilopochtli

The Spirit of Song and Flowers in Aztec Mythologyarimba

This embroidery is inspired by Aztec mythology. The piece features Xochiquetzal, the goddess of flowers, song, and dance, holding feathered maracas; and a shaman portraying Tlaloc—associated with rain and flowing waters—depicted with a serpent-headed staff.

Collection: The Musician Goddesses Series


Technique: This piece is embroidered on alpaca fabric using backstitch, stem stitch, Chinese embroidery (silk shading), French knot, chain stitch, fishbone stitch, bead embellishment and ribbon embroidery techniques. In the Aztec period, feather dyeing was considered a specialized profession. Great attention was given to colorful feather details in accordance with Aztec visual traditions.


Inspiration: Inspired by codices, stone reliefs, and painted vases.

Group of people working on a large stone sculpture outdoors, carving details into the stone with tools.
Ancient Mayan carved stone disc with intricate geometric patterns and a central figure, featuring detailed carvings of faces and mythology.

The discovery of the stone disk depicting Coyolxāuhqui (the Aztec moon goddess) located at the base of the Huitzilopochtli Temple in Mexico City by archaeologists of the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia – 1978 (left) – the stone disk showing Coyolxāuhqui dismembered by Huitzilopochtli. In the embroidery, the jewelry of the figure on the right is depicted based on this artifact

Ancient Mesoamerican illustration of a mythological figure with a bird-like headdress, holding a staff and shield, and standing on a character with scaled legs, against a textured background.
A colorful indigenous illustration of a warrior holding a bow and shield, wearing traditional attire and a feathered headdress.

The illustrations that inspired the embroidery design, as well as the snake-shaped rattles held in the figures’ hands, are based on Codex Ixtlilxochitl and Codex Borbonicus, pages 19 and 27. (Url: https://archive.org)

A wooden clarinet displayed on a clear stand against a dark background.

Snake-headed rattle, made by F. Obul in 2019. F. Göher Instrument Collection.

A kazakh person wearing traditional clothing, holding a staff, and wearing a headdress.
A snake rattle instrument with four hanging bells attached to it.

A rattle in the shape of a snake, similar to those seen in the hands of Aztec shamans, warriors, and dancers, was also used by female shamans in Kazakhstan. This striking similarity likely reflects a shared need within shamanic worldviews to connect with spirits and nature. The rattle staff in my instrument collection was crafted in reference to the jılan bas qonıraı (snake-headed rattle) instruments used by Kazakh shamans.

Line drawing of five indigenous people dressed in traditional attire, holding paddles or staffs, standing in profile.
Hand holding a rattle with a black ball top, decorated with colorful feathers and a crocheted cream-colored band.

A wall painting from another Mesoamerican culture, the Maya, is another illustration that inspired the embroidery. The feathered maraca included in my instrument collection was made by me.

Ancient carved wooden artifact resembling an animal or mythical creature.
Illustration of traditional dancers with drums, leafy decorations, and colorful costumes, performing in a cultural celebration.

So, what is the embroidery beneath the two main figures?

Among Mesoamerican instruments, there were percussion instruments with zoomorphic forms. The central figure in the embroidery is playing such a Teponaztli drum. The figure playing the instrument was drawn and embroidered with reference to noble dance scenes from the Codex Tovar.