Candlestick. Teotihuacán, México, 400-650 AD. Terracotta. 7 cm length and 3.6 cm height. PROVENANCE: Romy Rey private collection, London, United Kingdom. CONDITION: Good condition. DESCRIPTION: The valley of Teotihuacán lies northwest of Lake Texcoco, in the highlands of Mexico and very close to the present-day capital. Despite the relative aridity of this territory, it is well supplied with water by three rivers that flow into the lake and are still widely used today to irrigate the fields. In the valley where Teotihuacán settled, the Cuanalán and Tezocuya cultures had previously developed, which gave rise to a certain social complexity and agricultural and calendrical (astronomical) knowledge, as well as an agricultural-warrior economy that would lay the necessary foundations for the emergence of Teotihuacán. The Teotihuacan influence was strongly felt throughout Mesoamerica, from the nearby valleys to distant regions such as Veracruz, Guerrero, Oaxaca and the Mayan region (Chiapas and Guatemala). It is thought that the city itself supported a population of migrants from different peoples, making it a cosmopolitan centre. The name Teotihuacan means in the Nahua language ‘place where the gods are born’, which demonstrates the enormous relevance that this culture had in later periods, both in tangible and ideological aspects. The architecture achieved astonishing levels of perfection, not only in the astronomical orientation of its buildings and streets, but also in its forms and decorations. Embedded stone heads depicting gods, columns filled with bas-reliefs with symmetrical designs and decorations of monumental scale are some examples. Delicate masks inlaid with semi-precious stones or depictions of animals with mythical characteristics have been recorded. Stone braziers with the image of the god Huehueteotl (the old God of Fire) were very common and despite their schematic lines, they are very expressive. They also achieved great mastery in ceramics. Incense burners and braziers with lids profusely decorated and painted in various colours are particularly noteworthy. The representations of the heads of gods or priests with enormous headdresses are characteristic and indicate the perfection achieved by the master potters. The techniques used include moulds, modelling by pastillage, incising and post-firing painting in bright reds, blues, greens and yellows. The Teotihuacans depicted their environment in their mural art, leaving a faithful reflection of the flora and fauna that surrounded them, including wild animals and even insects. Notes: - The piece includes authenticity certificate. - The piece includes Spanish Export License. - The seller guarantees that he acquired this piece according to all national and international laws related to the ownership of cultural property. Provenance statement seen by Catawiki.