The figure and insignia of Huehuetéotl-Xiuhtecuhtli, the ancient Mesoamerican god of fire and time (xiuhitl in Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs, meant both 'turquoise' and 'year'), appeared long before the Mexica integrated it into their pantheon as a representation of the first cosmic force that sustains and gives birth to the other gods.
Huehuetéotl (we showed the first concept art pieces here) is represented as an old man carrying a huge brazier. One of his emblems was the cross, which placed him at the center of the four directions of the universe.
Every 52 years, in the izcalli (home) month, the New Fire ritual was celebrated, making an effigy of him with a turquoise mask, while the fire in his temple was renewed to distribute it in each home of Tenochtitlan: it was a symbol of the cyclical death and resurrection of life. It was by far the most important event in the religious calendar: if the ceremony failed, then the Aztec civilization would end.
This is just a #WIP, a preview of the creative work we do to bring Mictlan: An Ancient Mythical Tale to life, making images as detailed as possible to be able to convey the powerful symbolism behind each and every character.
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https://store.steampowered.com/app/1411900/Mictlan_An_Ancient_Mythical_Tale/