The sun god Tonatiuh is usually represented as a young, armed, flying male surrounded by the disk of the sun. Here he appears defeated, with an arrow piercing his mouth and his heart torn out. His curly hair symbolizes the sunset. The path of the sun symbolized the journey of all life on earth, including human life.

Infinity of Nations: Art and History in the Collections of the National Museum of the American Indian
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The National Museum of the American Indian  |  George Gustav Heye Center  |  New York, NY

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