---
title: Coatlicue
author: Luidger
source: https://www.worldhistory.org/image/2164/coatlicue/
format: machine-readable-alternate
license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/)
updated: 1970-01-01
---
# Coatlicue
_Authored by Luidger_
## Image File
[](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/2164.jpg)
## Image Caption
A colossal basalt statue of Coatlicue ('Serpent Skirt'), the [Aztec](https://www.worldhistory.org/Aztec_Civilization/) mother-earth goddess and mother of [Huitzilopochtli](https://www.worldhistory.org/Huitzilopochtli/). The goddess is represented with a severed head replaced by two snake heads, wearing a necklace of severed hands and human hearts with a skull pendant, and a dress of entwined snakes. She also has claws on her feet and hands which she used to rip off the flesh from corpses before eating them. The statue is 3.5 m tall and dates from the late Post Classical Period of Mesoamerica, 1250-1521 CE. (National Museum of Anthropology, Mexico [City](https://www.worldhistory.org/city/))
## Bibliography
- [Coatlicue - Museo Nacional de AntropologÃa](http://www.mna.inah.gob.mx/coleccion/pieza-244/ficha-basica.html "Coatlicue - Museo Nacional de AntropologÃa"), accessed 1 Dec 2016.
## Cite This Work
### APA
Luidger. (2013, November 28). Coatlicue. *World History Encyclopedia*.
### Chicago
Luidger. "Coatlicue." *World History Encyclopedia*, November 28, 2013. .
### MLA
Luidger. "Coatlicue." *World History Encyclopedia*, 28 Nov 2013, .
## License & Copyright
[Original image](http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:20041229-Coatlicue_%28Museo_Nacional_de_Antropolog%C3%ADa%29_MQ-3.jpg) by [**Luidger**](http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:20041229-Coatlicue_%28Museo_Nacional_de_Antropolog%C3%ADa%29_MQ-3.jpg). Submitted by [Mark Cartwright](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/markzcartwright/ "User Page: Mark Cartwright"), published on 28 November 2013. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/deed.en). This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.