PXL_20250413_163229298

Sat, 14 Feb 2026 07:49:22 +0100

Copal

An aromatic resin from the Bursera bipinnata tree, it has been found in the form of a large leaf, which constitutes evidence of how it was extracted. The sap was obtained by making cuts on the tree's bark that converged at an oak leaf forming a spout to an agave leaf (Agave angustifolia) that served as a recipient and mold. Later, the resin could be handled to form balls, cylinders, or cones, in addition to anthropomorphic figures that represented deities related to water and agriculture.

Attributes were added to the figures in the form of paint and paper accessories, wood, and flowers. According to historical sources, some groups that lived in what is now the state of Guerrero were responsible for giving copal in tribute to the Triple Alliance.