AQ 6/8/26 AQ 6/8/26

What is a mosaic? Examples from Aztec, Roman, Thai, Islamic, and Byzantine Art

This video focuses on understanding mosaics, both how they are made and the materials they are made from.

AQ 5/28/26 AQ 5/28/26

Camelid Sacrum in the Shape of a Canine, Tequixquiac, Meixco

Could this camelid sacrum bone be one of the oldest artworks in North America, made 16,000 years ago?

AQ 5/22/26 AQ 5/22/26

What is Jade (Jadeite) in Mesoamerica?

Jadeite was a precious material in Mesoamerica among the Olmec, Maya, and others.

AQ 5/7/26 AQ 5/7/26

Pre-Columbian Golden Eagle Pendants from Central America and the Lost-Wax Technique

This video focuses on pre-Columbian golden pendants from Central America, specifically Costa Rica and Panama, made between about 700 and 1519 in the Isthmo-Colombian region.

AQ 4/23/26 AQ 4/23/26

Who is Chahk (Chaak)?

This video looks at the ancient Maya god Chahk (also spelled Chaak or Chac).

AQ 4/16/26 AQ 4/16/26

Structure 40 at Yaxchilan and Bird Jaguar IV

Built by Bird Jaguar IV or Yaxum B’ahlam IV in the 8th century, Structure 40 publicized Bird Jaguar IV’s dynastic lineage and helped to justify his rule at the Maya city-state of Yaxchilan.

AQ 4/6/26 AQ 4/6/26

Colima Dogs and West Mexican Ceramics

Dogs have been immortalized in art across the globe for thousands of years.

AQ 3/23/26 AQ 3/23/26

Teotihuacan Mastered City Planning 2,000 Years Ago with Apartments and Grid Planning

Explore the massive Mesoamerican city of Teotihuacan, an ancient site known for its incredible architecture.

AQ 2/16/26 AQ 2/16/26

How to Do a Visual Analysis in Art History: A Formal Analysis of Sculpture

This video explains how to do a visual analysis (formal analysis) of a sculpture—the Mexica (Aztec) statue of Coatlicue.

AQ 1/29/26 AQ 1/29/26

What is an atlatl?

This video focuses on what an atlatl, or spearthrower, is in Mesoamerica.

AQ 1/21/26 AQ 1/21/26

An Introduction to the Ancient Maya

This overview reading about the ancient Maya of Mesoamerica covers topics such as geography and land, Classic period cities such as Palenque and Tikal, religion and rituals, writing, art, calendars, the ballgame, conflict, and the living Maya.

AQ 1/15/26 AQ 1/15/26

Zapotec Funerary Urns in Mesoamerica: Inside Ancient Mexican Tombs

Zapotec funerary urns are unique to ancient Mexico.

AQ 1/8/26 AQ 1/8/26

Lady Sak K'uk', Queen of Palenque

Who is the ancient Maya queen Lady Sak K’uk’ of Palenque?

Lauren Kilroy-Ewbank 10/6/25 Lauren Kilroy-Ewbank 10/6/25

Spooky Season in Art: Skeletons, Spirits, and the Supernatural

Around the world, artists have turned to skeletons, spirits, and strange creatures to wrestle with life’s biggest mysteries and to provide social and political commentary. From medieval Europe to ancient China to ancient Peru and 19th-century Mexico, we can look at images and objects that seem spooky, eerie, or gruesome today. But were they always meant to be understood this way?

AQ 6/26/25 AQ 6/26/25

Aztec Art Collage Sheet

Cut out and collage images of art from the Aztecs of Mesoamerica! Use them for cultural collages, in notebooks and art projects, or on poster boards around the classroom.

AQ 5/7/24 AQ 5/7/24

Aztec feather art more precious than gold (featherworks)

Feather objects like feathered headdresses were popular for much of Mesoamerican history, and the Aztecs of Central Mexico created some of the most spectacular featherworks that still survive.

Lauren Kilroy-Ewbank 4/30/24 Lauren Kilroy-Ewbank 4/30/24

The largest pyramid in the world

The largest pyramid in the world isn’t in Egypt. Do you know where it is?

ARTSQ 4/29/24 ARTSQ 4/29/24

The death mask of the most famous ancient Maya king

When archaeologists managed to slide the lid off a sarcophagus and look inside, they found Pakal’s body covered in jade ornaments. A jade mask covered Pakal’s face. And all of these helped to transform him into the Maize God!