Moon Goddess

Uncovering Coyolxauhqui

When public utility repair crews digging at a busy Mexico City street corner in February made their find, it created an instant sensation. Rumors arose that the long-lost treasure of Montezuma II, the Aztec emperor at the time of the Spanish conquest, had finally been located. As archaeologists roped off the site, indignant Mexicans protested: "We have a right to the gold. We pay our taxes."

What the workmen found was not gold, but a treasure nonetheless. It has now been identified as a huge pre-Columbian bas-relief of the Aztec moon goddess Coyolxauhqui. Probably sculpted in the early 15th century, the circular stone, 3.3 meters (11 ft.) across and weighing some 20 tons, has relief images of the dismembered goddess's limbs, torso and head scattered all over its surface. The carnage depicts a well-known episode from Aztec mythology. When the mother of the gods was pregnant for the last time, so the story goes, her other offspring--the moon, planets and stars--became so jealous that they plotted to kill her. At the very moment of matricide, the newly born war and sun god, Huitzilopochtli, leaped from the womb and avenged his mother by killing his murderous siblings. The victims of his rage included the beautiful Coyolxauhqui, who was cut into bits. That is why, according to Aztec legend, the moon starts off full each month, then gradually diminishes in size.

Except for one small crack, the basrelief is perfectly preserved, a sign that it was apparently buried prior to the Spanish invasion, thus escaping destruction by the conquistadors. Along with the stone, diggers found six skulls, stone knives and other objects possibly linked to the ritual human sacrifice practiced by the Aztecs. Scientists suspect that many more pre-Columbian objects may lie hidden under Mexico City's streets.

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