The work that will be analyzed is Brasero Chicomecóatl, a ceramic brazier that does not have a known creator. There is however a known time frame for its creation: between 1325 and 1521, during the Late Post Classic period. The medium for this piece is clay, as well as paint made from natural substances, but this has faded to a very light tinting instead of the deep shade it most likely started out in. This work is a small example of the Central Americans’ religious practices at this time. It demonstrates how they recognized their gods and hints at the way they worshipped them.
The figure depicted on the brazier is Chicomecóatl, the goddess of corn. This is made very apparent by the four ears of corn the figure is holding in her hands, as if she is offering them up to the viewer; this is a distinct gesture that she is most known for. She is also identified by the garment that she wears, which is mostly made up of a square box type head…show more content… And as it was classified as a brazier, it had to have been used for burning things. It is possible that it was used for burning the blood and plant remnants during the auto-sacrifice ceremonies that were a common practice in some cultures around Central America during this time. They offered their blood to gods in such ceremonies to keep them happy, because they believed that if the gods were happy, the people would prosper. There are other possibilities as to what it could have been used for, of course. It might have been used for harvest ceremonies, which is quite feasible as she was the goddess of corn. Or it could have been used as a flame pit for roasting special corn over during other ceremonies, as a tribute to the goddess. Or perhaps it was used as a simple brazier during other ceremonies that didn’t really focus on
