Mictlantecuhtli was the focus of a death cult. This figure wears a skull mask and on the shoulder and back bears the glyphs, skill, vulture and house. Coastal styles seem to have influenced Aztec sculptors. The sandstone from which this object is made was probably obtained in Veracruz. In the course of their imperial conquests, the Aztecs brought back captured trophies like this and installed them in their own temples at Tenochtitlan. 

This object is part of "Scan The World". Scan the World is a non-profit initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory, through which we are creating a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks and landmarks from across the globe for the public to access for free. Scan the World is an open source, community effort, if you have interesting items around you and would like to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to find out how you can help.