Chicomoztoc, the Place of Seven Caves, was a mythical place of origin for the Aztecs and other Nahuatl-speaking peoples of central Mexico. In this image the Cuauhtinchan Chichimecs fly from the womb-like cave. They bear weapons, sacred bundles, and ritual objects, and fly behind their leader, the warrior goddess Itzpapalotl, “Obsidian Butterfly.”

Angeles Espinosa Yglesias/Castro Mainou