Feather shield with coyote

This interesting feather shield was also in Archduke Ferdinand II’s cabinet of curiosities in Ambras. An eighteenth-century inventory describes it as a Chinese sunshade. In reality, people often didn’t know which culture the objects came from. Precious feather shields like this one were widespread in Mesoamerica. We know this from pictures but also from tribute lists. In the central highlands, where the Aztecs lived, there were no tropical birds. They acquired the colourful and variegated feathers or finished feather works not only through trade but also through the payment of tributes by subjugated peoples. Innumerable shields like this were brought back to Europe during the colonial era and also used here. The European upper classes loved parades in which they could dress up and play at being Indians. Most feather shields were destroyed in the process, and only four have survived. This is one of them. The significance of the blue animal is disputed. It could be a coyote, perhaps a wolf. There were different warrior classes or orders among the Aztecs, and we know that there were also coyote warriors who dressed up as coyotes, including blue ones. The shield might have been used in that context. But it could also have a different meaning, referring to a city or to a particular prince or leader. Once again, we should be honest and admit that we don’t really know!