mexico tree of life (1)

Arbol relieve maya

Aztec Tree of life

The Tree Of Life grows In the Land of Mystery: There we were created; there we were born. There He by whom all things liveSpins the thread of our lives. The day is dawning; The sun is rising.Soon descending The red birds will come To suck the nectar of living flowers.On earth at the sacred tree you stand: You, feathered serpent, you are Lord!"Nezahualcoyotl Tlatoani of Texcococirca 1430 CE”

According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, the tree of knowledge, connecting to heaven and the underworld, and the tree of life, connecting all forms of creation, are both forms of the world tree or cosmic tree. According to some scholars, the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, portrayed in various religions and philosophies, are the same tree

Tree of Life with peacock pot (before 1967), Fowler Museum

Tree of Life (candelabra) is a popular form of art in Mexico. Shaped in the form of a tree, it is then crafted in great detail with figures such as people, branches, flowers, fruit, animals and other subject matter. Trees of life usually hold candles and are often placed as decorative objects at weddings, churches, funerals, and various special occasions.

Arbol de la Vida created by Master Potter Tiburcio Soteno, METEPEC

Tucked among their branches, the elaborate and colourful Mexican clay constructions known as Trees of Life may contain a range of possible scenes: pre-Hispanic cosmologies, genealogies, and rituals; biblical stories; historical vignettes; or secular events. Often fitted with candles or incense burners, they may soar to a height of twenty feet or be small enough to fit in a child's hand. Ever increasing in popularity, by the early 1970s, the remarkable and versatile Tree of Life had become a quintessential symbol of Mexico.

Detalle arbol de la vida Metepec Estado de Mexico

A Tree of Life is a theme of clay sculpture created in central Mexico, especially in the municipality of Metepec, Mexico State. The image depicted in these sculptures originally was for the teaching of the Biblical story of creation to natives in the early colonial period. The fashioning of the trees in a clay sculpture began in Izúcar de Matamoros, Puebla but today the craft is most closely identified with Metepec. Traditionally, these sculptures are supposed to consist of certain biblical images, such as Adam and Eve, but recently there have been trees c reated with themes completely unrelated to the Bible.

The craft is made in three principal areas: Metepec, Mexico State, Izucar de Matamoros, and Acatlan, both in Puebla, and most are made with commercial intent. In the old days, these were a traditional gift for newlyweds as a symbol of fertility and abundance.

Sound: Lila Downs - Árbol de la vida

México

Pictures: InternetCopyright: All the images belong to their authorsPresentation: Sanda Foişoreanuhttps://plus.google.com/+SandaMichaela

2012