The sons of the clouds

There are historical evidences of this people since 800 b. C. “The inhabitants of the land of the clouds” had their greatest ceremonial center on a place, that is today known as “Monte Negro”.

At about 682 a.C. the Mixtecs were divided into two kingdoms in constant fights. And they only were in peace to do the great pilgrimage to the ceremonial center of “Achiutla”, where they participated in the ceremonies, in which the “taisaqui” or principal priest communicated to all the people the plans of the gods, venerating a jade sotne of the size of a fist, called the heart of the town (13-C). After the end of the hispanic conquest, friar Benito Fernández saw the sacered stone with such emotion, that he had to cry. It was the most wonderful object, that he’d ever seen, but he destroyed it to finish with the idolatrous cult. The Mixtec representation of this stone was shaped in the Vindobonensis code and it is actually in Viena, Austria.

In the X. century, with the victory of Achiutla-Tilatongo upon Tututepec, the Mixtecsunified themselves to confront their rivals in future.

The feline mask (13-A) was found by the archaeologist Alfonso Caso in the Mistec region in Oaxaca, near the town of Tlaxiaco. From this place originates the bat face (13-B). (H. Castellanos)