Aztecs&8232 @ Melbourne Museum

Aztecs&8232 @ Melbourne Museum

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Posted 2014-03-12 by Nadine Cresswell-Myattfollow

Wed 09 Apr 2014

Aztecs& #8232 ; @ Melbourne Museum


The Aztecs have us entranced with their amazing heart-stopping rituals, their architecture, their use of human sacrifices, and their penchant for war - although a civilization that also invented chocolate can't be all bad.

The new exhibition, Aztecs at the Melbourne Museum, is on from 9 April until 10 August 2014. It will lift the lid on this amazingly well organised culture.

In particular it looks at the spectacular city it created, Tenochtitlán (pronounced Teh-notch-tit-lan). You can see examples of its ingenious agricultural technology, the Aztec gods, and the objects the Aztecs traded.


Then, visitors can decide or not decide to enter the temple to learn about the gods and the sacrificial rituals, which included human sacrifices as well as dismemberments. If they do dare they pass by the stone God of the Underworld, Mictlantecuhtli , as well as a large stone eagle that weighs three-quarters of a ton. The hollowed-out basin in the top of its back once held human hearts. You can also see a skull mask with a blade in its mouth that's was crafted from a human skull. Most of us find all this gorily fascinating but it won't suit everyone.

[ADVERT]At this exhibition history buffs can also find out about the Spanish explorers, the meeting between Cortés the conquistador and Montezuma and read accounts from people who lived through the Spanish Conquest.

The exhibition consists of over 200 rare cultural treasures borrowed from more than 30 museums across Mexico. Exhibits include large gold temple statues, ceramic and stone figures and evil warriors. But, while these objects are all from the past, great use is made of multimedia to transport the past into the present.

To kickstart the Aztec exhibition there will be a special Aztec Party Day on April 13th. Everyone if welcome. There will be food, music and free activities. Melbourne dance group Mexbourne will be performing traditional Aztec dancing. There is also an animated theatre show bringing the fascinating Aztec city of Tenochtitlán to life.


Kids' activities include eagle and jaguar warrior hat making, free temporary tattoos, making and decorating paper flowers and engaging in authentic Aztec games.

The party runs from 11am until 3pm on Sunday 13 Apr 2014. The Aztec Party Day is a free event.

The exhibition was developed by the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa in partnership with the National Council for Culture and the Arts - National Institute of Anthropology and History - Mexico, Australian Museum and Museum Victoria.

It is great to have such an exciting event in Melbourne.

#exhibitions
#family
#free
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#museums
#school_holidays
#april
!date 09/04/2014 -- 09/04/2014
%wnmelbourne
109131 - 2023-06-12 14:14:40

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