Animal Figures in the Maya CodicesTozzer, Alfred M. (Alfred Marston)
History
Animal Figures in the Maya Codices
Tozzer, Alfred M. (Alfred Marston)
Mayan languages -- Writing; Mayas -- Antiquities
There seems to be only one glyph which can in any way be taken for that
of the eagle in the Maya manuscripts and this appears only once, in
Tro-Cortesianus 107c (Pl. 20, fig. 9). This identification may be
questioned, as there is no drawing of an eagle associated with the
glyph. Attention has already been called to the two stone glyphs in Pl.
20, figs. 1, 3. There are various drawings of the glyph for the eagle in
the Nahua and Zapotecan codices (Pl. 20, fig. 8), as the Nahua day,
_Quauhtli_, has the meaning eagle. It is interesting to note in the
glyph from the Nuttall Codex (Pl. 20, fig. 8) the tips of the feathers
are crowned with stone points, a frequent way of representing birds of
prey among the Mexican peoples.
YUCATAN HORNED OWL (_Bubo virginianus mayensis_). Stempell makes a
serious mistake by confusing the eared owl shown in full face with that
shown in profile in the drawings, for he considers both to represent the
great horned owl. The figures are, however, quite different in every
way. The owl in full face view is unquestionably the great horned owl
(Maya, _ikim_), the Yucatan form of which is recognized by the
subspecific title _mayensis_. This is the bird opposed to the
"Moan-bird" which, as will be shown later, is associated with death. In
Pl. 21 are some truly remarkable figures which seem to represent this
horned owl, the first modelled in stucco from Palenque, the second
carved in stone from Yaxchilan, and the third carved in wood from Tikal.
Figs. 1 and 3 show the bird in flight with extended wings. The two
erectile tufts of feathers or "horns" are conspicuously represented in
fig. 3, at either side of the bird's head and between them the flat top
of the crown is secondarily divided in like manner into three parts,
representing the "horns" and the top of the head. The beetling brows,
heavy hooked beak, and spread talons combine to give a fierce and
spirited mien to the great bird. Pl. 21, fig. 2, may be a greatly
conventionalized owl in which the essential characteristics of the bird
are reproduced in a rectangular design. The large bill is conspicuous in
the center, and in each upper corner terminates one of the ears. The
eyes are represented by rectangular areas at the base of the bill, each
with three vertical bars across it. Below the beak, or at either side of
the tip, are the feet, each with the claw cross-hatched. What seem to be
the reduced and highly conventionalized wings fill the lower corner of
each side of the figure.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account