Part of Art Deco’s appeal is the familiar — the chevrons, sunrises and so on. But some Art Deco ornamentation is tied to a specific place. What Robert McGregor of Napier, New Zealand’s Art Deco Trust refers to as indigenous Deco.
On my trips to Mexico City, I noticed a motif I had not seen anywhere else–a sort of square spiral. Perhaps an early tribute to an Aztec god of Art Deco? While I was puzzling over this, Bruce Marwick of the Sacramento Art Deco Society was doing some research on the buildings of Cal Tech in Pasadena. One of the gates to Dabney Hall had similar, square spirals. According to the description accompanying the photo, to the Maya, this is the symbol for Kulkulcan, god of vegetation and rain. To the Aztecs, it’s Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent. The design can be seen at Chichen Itza and El Tajin.
Dabney Hall – Cal Tech, Pasadena
A closer look
Detail, Railroad Worker’s Union – Mexico City.
Mexico City
Mexico City
Shopping arcade at Edificio Gemelos – Mexico City
Is this the correct explanation? You be the judge. But if it is, we’re talking about some very early examples of Art Deco.
After years of searching I’m finally getting some info on this square spiral. I have traveled to Mexico many times on eyeglass missions, and the Mexico City airport had a shop with objects that were a beautiful green and had a little figure with a square spiral head painted on it. I have coasters and a large mug. I used to have a bowl, but it broke. They are no longer sold, that I can find, but I have wanted to find more. This article gave me some more search terms, so thank you. I’m desperate to find more of those pieces. They were just tourist souvenirs, but they weren’t chintzy, and I love green!
Look up the ancient Hebrew letter beyt – so much symbolism and it is the square spiral! It can be seen in nature as well – bismuth crystals replicate it perfectly!
Thank you, Kirsten! Fascinating.