Stamp, Butterfly 

This ceramic stamp depicting a butterfly was made by an Aztec artist sometime between 1300 and 1521. The image of the butterfly is rendered in simple lines, dominated by curvilinear and geometric designs. It is highly likely that the stamp was used to decorate textiles or human skin. The butterfly was an important symbol in Aztec culture associated with fire, warfare, and sacrifice, and knowledge of these associations opens up further interpretations of the artwork. We know the Aztecs had a complex social hierarchy, with a class of skilled artisans who produced luxury goods for the elite. This stamp may have been used to mark textiles or bodies with symbols of power and status. To fully understand this stamp, we need to draw on a range of historical and cultural sources, looking at archaeological reports, codices, and ethnographies. This kind of interdisciplinary research allows us to understand the stamp not just as a beautiful object, but as a window into the social and political world of the Aztecs.