Standing Figure of the Storm God

Culture: Teotihuacan
Period: Early Classic period, 250 BCE–600 CE
Date: c.300–550 CE
Material: Ceramic
made in: Mexico state, Mexico, North and Central America
Classification: Ceramics, sculpture
Collection: Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas
Current Location: On View, Gallery 114
Dimensions: 4 5/16 x 2 3/4 x 1 9/16 in. (11 x 7 x 4 cm)
Credit Line: Gift of Morton D. May
Rights: Public Domain
Object Number: 443:1981

NOTES

This small standing figure depicts one of central Mexico’s oldest and longest lasting deities, the Storm God, also known by the Aztec name Tlaloc. The Storm God can be recognized by his prominent round eyes, often marked with goggles, and his fanged mouth. He was closely identified with rain, lightning, and flowing water. These combinations linked the Storm God to both warfare and agricultural fertility, making him one of the most powerful deities in the Teotihuacan pantheon. These associations also explain his longevity in the broader Mesoamerican pantheon, from the Classic to the Postclassic period.

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