The mysterious 600-year-old mask of the Aztec fire god.

The Xiuhtecuhtli mask, currently on display at the British Museum in London, is one of the turquoise artifacts that the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés took from the Aztec Empire and brought back to Europe as a treasure in the early 16th century.

The mask, made of wood and inlaid with turquoise, represents Xiuhtecuhtli, the Aztec god of fire. (Source: PA Images)

According to experts at the British Museum, the blue mask may symbolize the cycles of renewal in the history of the Aztecs in the Americas. The mask is carved from cedar wood and decorated with turquoise mosaic pieces, the eyes are made of pearls with gold rims, and the teeth are made of mother-of-pearl.

The inside of the mask is coated with cinnabar – a brick-red mineral containing mercury. The mask is approximately 16.8 cm tall and has small holes at the temples, suggesting it was once tied with strings for wearing.

You may also like

A small stone carrying the light of a civilization.VHO - Some trips bring back a photograph. Some bring back a small gift. But from Mumbai (India), I brought back a pink ruby ​​and a story spanning thousands of years from the land of gemstones.

China remains Vietnam's number one source of international tourists.In the first six months of the year, Chinese tourists to Vietnam reached 2.7 million, making them Vietnam's largest source market for visitors.

Announcing the National Heritage of the Khmer people's craft of making headdresses and masks.The leaders of Vinh Long province have requested the development of a project to preserve and promote the value of the traditional Khmer craft of making headdresses and masks, linking it with tourism development programs to spread the values ​​of this heritage.

Xiuhtecuhtli, meaning "lord of turquoise" in the Nahuatl language, is the name of the Aztec god of fire. The Aztecs kept a "sacred fire" burning continuously in the Temple of Fire in the city of Tenochtitlan. All the other fires in the city drew their fire from this flame.

Every 52 years, the Aztec priests would extinguish the fire. The highest-ranking priest, wearing a turquoise mask symbolizing Xiuhtecuhtli, would then perform Xiuhtlalpilli, or the "new fire ritual," to pray for the renewal and further development of Aztec civilization for another half-century.

The darker turquoise mosaic pieces on the cheeks and nose of the mask form the shape of a butterfly, another symbol of renewal in Aztec culture.

Researchers suggest that the turquoise mosaic pieces on the mask may depict the Aztec mythological god Nanahuatzin, who sacrificed himself by leaping into a fire and subsequently transforming into the sun.

United States - Vietnam: Don't miss

Strengthening the friendship between Vietnam and the United States.On July 3rd, as part of the Pacific Partnership - Friends of the Pacific 2026 program, the U.S. Army Pacific delegation, led by Lieutenant General Joel Vowell, Deputy Commander of the U.S. Army Pacific, paid a courtesy visit to the Quang Tri Provincial Military Command.

The U.S. Army Pacific delegation visits the Quang Tri Provincial Military Command.2026 marks the first time the Pacific Partnership-Friends of the Pacific program will be jointly organized in Quang Tri, creating a large-scale cooperation framework with 25 activities.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs received a copy of the Letter of Credence for the U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam.On the afternoon of July 2nd, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters, Mr. Le Cong Dung, Director of the State Protocol and Foreign Interpretation Department, received a copy of the Letter of Credence from Ms. Jennifer Wicks, Ambassador of the United States of America to Vietnam.

The Aztec was a Mesoamerica culture that flourished in central Mexico during the late Classic period, from 1300 to 1521. The Aztec civilization was organized into city-states (altepetl), often allied with each other in the form of empires or federations.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/ky-bi-chiec-mat-na-co-600-nam-tuoi-cua-than-lua-aztec-295151.html