The Legacy of the Plumed Serpent in Ancient Mexico July
29–November 25, 2012 The Dallas Museum of Art presents The
Legacy of the Plumed Serpent in Ancient Mexico, the first large-
scale exploration of the ancient kingdoms of southern Mexico and
their patron deity, Quetzalcoatl, an incarnation of the spirit
force of wind and rain that combined the attributes of a serpent
with those of the quetzal bird, thus the name “Plumed Serpent.”
On view from July 29 through November 25, 2012, this
groundbreaking exhibition features 150 objects—including painted
codices, turquoise mosaics, gold, and textiles—loaned from
museums and private collections in Mexico, Europe, and the
United States. These rare artworks trace the development of an
extensive trade network that resulted in a period of
international entrepreneurship and innovation that spread across
ancient Mexico, the American Southwest, and Central America
during the Postclassic (AD 900–1521) and early colonial periods.
The Codex Zouche-Nuttall is one of a small num