It is quite probable that the famous Ratinlixul vase depict merchants on a journey. The chief personage, in a litter, holds a fan, symbol of the merchant class. Pochteca, professional, long-distance traveling merchants in the Aztec Empire, occupied a high status in Aztec society, below the noble class. They were responsible for providing the materials that the Aztec nobility used to display their wealth, which were often obtained from foreign sources.
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