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Mytological Animals


Mythological animals.



684 photos
Detail from the facade of the East Building, Quadrangle of the Nuns, Uxmal. A large, trapezoid motif crowned with the head of an owl, an animal associated with death in Maya lore (7th-10th CE).
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Detail from the facade of the East Building, Quadrangle of the Nuns,...

Facade of the North Building, Quadrangle of the Nuns, Uxmal. The frieze above the room entrances consists of frets, human figures, Mayan huts and the feathered serpent, Mayan symbol of the god Kukulcan (7th-10th CE)
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Facade of the North Building, Quadrangle of the Nuns, Uxmal. The frieze above...

The head of Kukulcan, god of the winds, protrudes from the fangs of the feathered serpent in the frieze of the North Building, Quadrangle of the Nuns, Uxmal. The feathered serpent is the symbol of the God Kukulcan in Mayan lore (7th-10th CE).
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The head of Kukulcan, god of the winds, protrudes from the fangs of the feather...

The Governor's Palace, Uxmal. The building is 100 m long and 9 m high and has 24 chambers under an ornate frieze with a cornice like an undulating snake. Rain- god Chac appears between geometric ornaments. A double- headed jaguar, symbol of death, in the foreground.
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The Governor's Palace, Uxmal. The building is 100 m long and 9 m high and ha...

Maya Arch in the facade of the Palace of the Governor, Uxmal. The triangular Maya arches are false arches, consisting of corbeled stone slabs meeting at the summit in a point. The cornice of this arch is formed by an undulating snake (7th-10th CE).
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Maya Arch in the facade of the Palace of the Governor, Uxmal. The triangular Ma...

Heads of the rain-god Tlaloc, not a Mayan deity but one usually connected with the Mexican Central Plateau, on the facade of the Palace of the Governor, Uxmal. The cornice is formed by an undulating serpent (7th-10th CE).
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Heads of the rain-god Tlaloc, not a Mayan deity but one usually connected wi...

Teotihuacan, Temple of Quetzalcoatl, the Feathered Serpent, and Tlaloc, the rain-god. Heads of Jaguars, symbol of death, jut out from flowers, symbol of plenitude; the god Tlaloc is shown with a face of corncobs and large goggles (3rd-6th CE).
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Teotihuacan, Temple of Quetzalcoatl, the Feathered Serpent, and Tlaloc, the...

The head of a jaguar, symbol of the setting sun and of death, juts out from a flower, symbol of plenitude. Tempel of Quetzalcoatl and Tlaloc, Teotihuacan, Mexico (3rd-6th CE).
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The head of a jaguar, symbol of the setting sun and of death, juts out from...

The Quetzal-Mariposa Palace within the Teotihuacan Ceremonial Center. The rooms, arranges around a court- yard, belong to the priestly residences. The square pillars show reliefs of the quetzal-bird; the eye- sockets of the birds are inlaid with obsidian (3rd-6th)
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The Quetzal-Mariposa Palace within the Teotihuacan Ceremonial Center. The r...

Detail of the pillars of Mariposa-Palace, part of the priestly residences in the Teotihuacan Ceremonial Center. The low relief shows quetzal-birds with eyes inlaid with obsidian (3rd-6th CE).
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Detail of the pillars of Mariposa-Palace, part of the priestly residences in t...

Head of a quetzal-bird, its eyes inlaid with obsidian. From the pillars of the Quetzal-Mariposa Palace, Teotihuacan Ceremonial Center, Mexico (3rd-6th CE).
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Head of a quetzal-bird, its eyes inlaid with obsidian. From the pillars of the...

Two heads of feathered serpents, right and left of the steep stairs leading to the upper section of the Temple of the Warriors, Chichen Itza, Yucatan. 11th.
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Two heads of feathered serpents, right and left of the steep stairs leading...