February – the end of March

Exhibition curator: dr Małgorzata Winiarska-Kabacińska

Obsidian played a special role in Pre-Columbian Mesoamerican communities. It was used not only as raw material for the manufacturing tools for everyday use (including weapons) but also ornaments and figurines of ritual or magical character (ritual knives). It was a valuable material  and the subject of far-reaching trade exchange. For the past communities of Mesoamerica obsidian was also a symbol of power and prestige. Today obsidian is used as material for manufacturing ornaments, and sought for as a source of positive energy it emanates.

The exhibition  presents the obsidian artefacts from Mexico, which are housed in the collection  of the Archaeological Museum in Poznań, as well as the information about the material (volcanic glass), its origin and the way it was used by Pre-Columbian communities of Mesoamerica, particularly by the Aztecs.

Photo. P. Silska