A Teotihuacan Censer in a Residential Context: An Interpretation

Abstract
This article describes an elaborate “theater-type censer” found around a burial in a residential apartment compound of the Late Xolalpan phase excavated at Teotihuacan. It consists of a richly dressed human figure associated with representations of plants and food, clouds and flowers, and butterfly symbols. Its context and the associated elements attached to the censer evoke fire, death, and fertility symbolism.