Aztec Carved Shell Ornament of Ehecatl

This evocative carved shell ornament, measuring approximately 6 inches by 7 inches by 2 inches thick, is an actual cross-section of a conch shell—its spiral form deeply symbolic of Ehecatl, the Mesoamerican Aztec wind deity. Such spirals were sacred symbols of breath and divine motion in Aztec cosmology and were commonly represented in ornaments and ritual objects associated with Ehecatl-Quetzalcoatl.

The spiral conch, known as the “wind jewel” (ehecacozcatl), was closely associated with the movement of air and spirit, embodying the breath of life. Among the Maya, a related concept appeared in “T”-shaped imagery: the vertical bar symbolizing inhalation (movement inward, toward the underworld), and the horizontal bar exhalation (movement outward into the cosmos). T-shaped windows in Maya architecture are believed to reference this dynamic of breath and passage, with some oriented toward Venus, a planet ritually tied to the deity Quetzalcoatl.

At Teotihuacan, priests and ritual practitioners are often depicted wearing similar shell pendants across the chest, likely as a mark of their connection to the wind deity. Some scholars also note the resemblance between the spiral form and the structures of the human ear, suggesting possible symbolic associations with hearing or perception. Additionally, certain Olmec monuments feature ear ornamentation that may hint speculatively at early ideas of spiritual or visionary “second sight.”

The piece includes two small perforations for suspension, indicating it may have once been worn, perhaps by a ritual practitioner or medicine figure, as part of a ceremonial ensemble. Small sediment deposits remain throughout, pointing to a possible burial context. One tip of the shell is damaged, and another area shows a historical repair, with adhesive still faintly visible. An inventory number also remains on the inner surface.

While the piece was acquired under the assumption that it originated in the Colima culture of West Mexico, closer stylistic and iconographic analysis—especially the emphasis on the spiral and Ehecatl association—suggests a more likely Central Mexican origin, dating to the Postclassic Period (ca. 1200–1521 CE). Spiral shell forms were traded widely across Mesoamerica, but this example’s symbolic depth and physical form strongly connect it to the Aztec world.

This is a rare and potent artifact, merging symbolic resonance with ceremonial craftsmanship—an exceptional representation of the enduring breath of Ehecatl.

Provenance: Ex. Dr. Allen Heflin Collection; Hank Johnson Collection