Mural Fragment Depicting a Maguey Bloodletting Ritual

Teotihuacan · 500–600 CE

Medium

Lime plaster with mineral pigment

Original size

63.8 × 95 cm (25 × 37 1/2 in.)

Currently held

Art Institute of Chicago

Movement

Medieval

This ancient mural fragment offers a rare window into the ceremonial world of Teotihuacan, one of the largest cities of the ancient Americas, rendered in vivid ochres, reds, and greens that have survived more than fourteen centuries. Created by unknown artisans working at the height of Teotihuacan's power, the image depicts a bloodletting rite involving the maguey plant — a ceremony central to the city's religious life, in which participants drew blood as a sacred offering to the gods. Teotihuacan painters worked on wet lime plaster using mineral-based pigments, applying broad flat fields of colour with confident, precise outlines — a style that feels both formal and alive. The technique demanded speed and certainty; there was little room for revision once the brush met the plaster. Maguey bloodletting imagery appears across multiple buildings at Teotihuacan, suggesting it held significance throughout the city's religious calendar rather than being confined to a single temple or ruling class. This hand-painted oil reproduction translates the mural's bold geometry and layered symbolism onto canvas, honouring the original's commanding palette while bringing its ancient drama into a format built to last another century in your home.