Tempoal, State of Veracruz

7 ½ inches, Carved wood with paint

This Mojica character in the Dance of the Conquest, dances with a male character called a Moro. They essentially represent Cortez and his Indian consort- Malinche.There are wonderful Mojica masks in the Museo Rafael Coronel, in Zacatecas. One can see some of these masks in the related book- La Terre y le Paradis, p.161, 183-4. The Mojica masks have dramatic relief-carved hairlines, and the hairstyles varied with the fashions of the time. Mojicas generally have tiny mouths to contrast with the big hair.

This mask is small for the type. It has had heavy use, and the face has been repainted. All three attachment points are provided by metal staples on this example, commonly there is a staple on top, and the side strings attach through holes bored in the mask.

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