By Judi Ruiz-Branch –

The life-size ceramic sculpture with its claw-like outstretched hands and round facial features would have stood guard outside the chamber where the bodies of dead kings were laid to warn unwanted visitors to take heed. At the Field Museum, it looms large over the room evoking the Aztec culture that created it.

The Aztec Empire has come to life once again in Chicago at the Field Museum. “The Aztec World” includes hundreds of artifacts and works of art gathered from 15 museums in Mexico and 14 institutions in the U.S.

Along with the sculpture, Mictlantecuhtli (meek-tlahn-tay-coot-lee), the exhibit includes gold jewelry which Aztecs nobles wore, colored ceramics like rattles and smoking pipes, huge stone altars weighing in at more than a thousand pounds, colorful pottery, pieces of cloth worn by Aztec women and many more artifacts that have never been displayed outside of Mexico until now.

When they think of the Aztecs, some people immediately think of a culture that was obsessed with human sacrificing. But this exhibit examines the lives of men and women from all levels of society, from commoners to kings, and explains their roles in society.

People from near and far have come to witness this display of history. Beverly Daniel of Tennessee came to Chicago for a week and said she’s been back three times just to see the exhibit. “I really enjoy it. I love the history,” she said. “I think the main thing it teaches is survival and how important it was for them.”

The exhibit also displays how spirituality and beliefs played an important role in the Aztec culture. Many of the ceramics were created in honor of the many gods the Aztecs believed in.

The Aztec Mayor stood in the center of the city Tenochtitlan. Here, priests re-enacted mythological deeds of their gods in sacred rituals.

“It’s nice to know whatever your spirituality is, it doesn’t matter, it’s up to you. It all comes together in one,” Daniel said.

Rosenda Moore of Mississippi has Mexican roots and said the exhibit is well presented and very easy to follow. “They did a wonderful job for the money they spent to get everything here,” she said.

Moore said there is much more to be discovered about the Aztecs but wondered how they will be able to excavate more since much of original grounds of the civilization are covered with buildings in modern Mexico City.

The exhibit is broken up into many sections. Each one includes an introduction of the Aztecs contributions that many of us use today including agriculture, religion, hobbies, art, mathematics and more. For example, the Aztecs created the most accurate calendar to date, more accurate than even the one we use today.

Moore said this exhibit is important for all people to see, especially in Chicago, the city with the second largest Mexican population in the United States. “They have to be exposed to our incredible culture,” she said. “It’s great!”

Daniel also believes that the exhibit has great potential. “I think it’s good for the younger ones,” she said. She joked that if a pair of boots displayed in the exhibit was in stores today, all the young girls would be wearing them.

Sean Francis, a professor of Latino cultural studies at Columbia College, said he hopes the exhibit will spark further interest in people to research different cultures, arts and religions.  Like Moore, he also believes that it is important for Latino people to be educated about their history.

“I think the architecture, social protocols, sculpture and philosophy of the Aztecs could be a source of pride to Latinos seeking self-definition and roots,” he said.

The exhibit, created with curators from both Mexico and Chicago, will be only shown at the Field Museum and will run until April 19. All artifacts will then be returned to their original museums.

For more information visit the Field Museum Web site at http://www.fieldmuseum.org/aztecs.