A closer look
Gold was completely unimpressive to the Aztecs compared to the diplomatic power of a violently green bird feather. In the Mesoamerican political sphere, the tail feathers of the resplendent quetzal were the ultimate currency, harvested by specialized guilds of feather-workers called 'amanteca.' When Moctezuma gifted elaborate featherwork headdresses to European invaders, he was offering the highest form of statecraft and spiritual dominance, which the gold-obsessed Spaniards completely failed to comprehend.
