Aztec Double Serpent

grabcad

This is a rather loose reproduction of a piece from the British Museum. The original is from the 15th Century and made of wood covered with turquoise scales. It was probably worn as a ceremonial chest ornament by an Aztec priest. It's hard to say what it was meant to represent, as the serpent is associated with several Mexica (Aztec) deities including Quetzalcoatl (Feathered Serpent), Xiuhcoatl (Fire Serpent) and Mixcoatl (Cloud Serpent) or Coatlicue (She of the Serpent Skirt), the mother of the Mexica god Huitzilopochtli. The serpent (capable of shedding its skin) represents renewal and transformation in most MesoAmerican themes. My version so far is very simple, I would like to see what others can do to mimic the texture of the original turquoise scales. If you have a rendering program that does better stone textures, please feel welcome to contribute.