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Animal Figures in the Maya Codices

Chapter 32: PLATE 24
By Alfred M. Tozzer
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About This Book

The authors examine the conventionalized animal figures that recur in Maya codices, offering identifications, descriptive criteria, and comparative illustrations drawn from manuscripts, carvings, and other regional art. Combining iconographic analysis with zoological knowledge, they catalog species representations across plates and text, discuss how animals relate to calendar signs and deities, and consider variations in stylization and regional sources. The study includes a pronunciation key, a systematic list of plates and figures, and reasoned arguments for determinations while acknowledging uncertain cases and the need for further confirmation.

MOLLUSCA
Fasciolaria gigantea
1. Man emerging from shell, Dresden 41b.
2. Same, Borgia 4.
3. Bologna 4.
4. Dresden 37b.
5. Vaticanus 3773, 66.
6. Nuttall 16.
7. Sign for zero, Dresden 64.
8. Glyph, Dresden 41b.
9. Nuttall 16.
Oliva
10, 11. Sign for zero, Dresden 63.
12. Same, Dresden 55b.
Other Mollusca
13. Sign for zero, Dresden 54b.
14. Same. Bivalve, Dresden 63.
15. Bivalve, Nuttall 25.
16. Nuttall 49.
17. Nuttall 23.
18. Nuttall 16.
19. Nuttall 36.
20. Nuttall 75.
21. Bivalve closed, seen in profile, Nuttall 75.
22. Same, Nuttall 25.
23. Probably bivalve, Nuttall 16.
24. Same. Nuttall 36.

PLATE 2

INSECTA
Honey bee (Melipona)
1. Possibly a drone, Tro-Cortesianus 108a.
2, 3. Tro-Cortesianus 108a.
4, 6 Bees more conventionalized, Tro-Cortesianus 80b.
5. Bee and honey comb, Tro-Cortesianus 109c.
7. Honey combs, apparently in a hive, Tro-Cortesianus 11c.
8. Maya day sign, Cauac, possibly representing a honey comb, Tro-Cortesianus 106b.
9. Tro-Cortesianus 103c.
10. Honey combs in a hive, Tro-Cortesianus 104a.
11. Bee and honey comb, Tro-Cortesianus 109c.

PLATE 3

INSECTA and MYRIAPODA
1. Maggots, probably of Blowfly (Sarcophaga), Tro-Cortesianus 27d.
2. Same, Tro-Cortesianus 24d.
3. Larva of Acentrocneme kollari, Tro-Cortesianus 28c.
4. Conventionalized insect, possibly a hornet, Nuttall 3.
5. Conventionalized insect, unidentified, Nuttall 19.
6. Same, Nuttall 55.
7. Same, Nuttall 51.
8. Butterfly or moth, Nuttall 19.
9. Butterfly, Aubin.
10. Maya day sign, Akbal, possibly representing the head of a centipede.
11. Glyph belonging to god D, apparently composed of signs for centipede, Dresden 7b.
12. Glyph for god D, Dresden 14b.
13. Glyph, Dresden 44b.
14. Same, Dresden 27a.
15. Centipede in connection with head-dress of god D, Dresden 15c.
16. Glyph, Dresden 9b.
17. Same, Dresden 15c.
18. Centipede in connection with head-dress of god D, Dresden 7c.

PLATE 4

ARACHNOIDEA, ARACHNIDA, CRUSTACEA
1. Scorpion and deer, Tro-Cortesianus 48c.
2. Scorpion with sting conventionalized as a hand, Tro-Cortesianus 44c.
3. Scorpion highly conventionalized, Nuttall 22.
4. Spider, possibly a tarantula, Borbonicus 9.
5. Crayfish, Nuttall 16.
6. Crab, Nuttall 37.

PLATE 5

MYRIAPODA, PISCES
1. Parts of a conventionalized centipede with quetzal tail, Vaticanus 3773, 13.
2. Fish with teeth, Chichen Itza, Temple of the Tigers, Lower Chamber (Maudslay, III, Pl. 48).
3. Fish captured by heron, Dresden 36b. (Compare Pl. 15, fig. 5.)
4. Chichen Itza, Temple of the Tigers, Lower Chamber (Maudslay, III, Pl. 45).
5. Fish.
6. Pottery fish, Chajcar (Maudslay, IV, Pl. 93).
7. Same.
8. Fish as offering, Tro-Cortesianus 3a.
9. Same, Dresden 29b.

PLATE 6

PISCES
1. Possibly a flying-fish (Exocetus), Nuttall 75.
2. Palenque, Temple of the Cross (Maudslay, IV, Pl. 68).
3. Nuttall 36.
4, 5. Glyphs, possibly of a shark, Dresden 40a.
6. Fish as offering, Dresden 27c.
7. Fish without dorsal fins, possibly an eel (Muraena), Dresden 65b.
8. Fish as offering, Dresden 23b.
9. Pottery animal from Santa Rita (Gann, 1897-1898, Pl. 34).
10. Dresden 44c.
11. Nuttall 16.
12. Palenque, Palace (Maudslay, IV, Pl. 11).
13. Fish as offering, Dresden 33a. 14. Fish as part of the Great Cycle glyph, Copan, Stela C, north (Maudslay, I, Pl. 41).
15. Same, Copan, Stela C, south (Maudslay, I, Pl. 41.)
16. Same, Copan, Stela D (Maudslay, I, Pl. 48).
17. Same, Copan, Stela C, south (Maudslay, I, Pl. 41).

PLATE 7

AMPHIBIA
1. Frog (Rana), Tro-Cortesianus 31a.
2, 3. Same, Tro-Cortesianus 101d.
4. Probably a toad (Bufo), Copan, Oblong altar (Maudslay, I, Pl. 114).
5. Frog or toad, Tro-Cortesianus 17b.
6. Frog and fish, Copan, Altar O (Maudslay, I, Pl. 85).
7. Chichen Itza, Temple of the Tigers, Lower Chamber (Maudslay, III, Pl. 46).

PLATE 8

AMPHIBIA, REPTILIA
1. God F representing a tree-toad (Hyla eximia), Tro-Cortesianus 26b.
2. Glyph evidently belonging to fig. 3, Tro-Cortesianus 26a.
3. Same as fig. 1, Tro-Cortesianus 26a.
4. Snake, Nuttall 6.
5. Same, Nuttall 45.
6. Same, Nuttall 37.
7. Snake used as head-dress of a woman, Dresden 39b.
8. Same, Dresden 23b.
9. Same, Dresden 43b.
10. Same, Dresden 22b.
11. Same, Dresden 9c.
12. Same, Dresden 15b.
13. Same, Dresden 18a.
14. Dresden 42a.
15. Same as figs. 7-13, Dresden 20a.

PLATE 9

REPTILIA
Rattlesnake (Crotalus)
1. Tro-Cortesianus 33b.
2. Nahua day sign, Couatl, Aubin 10.
3. Tro-Cortesianus 52c.
4. Tro-Cortesianus 40b.
5. Chichen Itza, Temple of the Tigers, Painted Chamber (Maudslay, III, Pl. 40).
6. Nuttall 29.
7. Glyph representing rattles, Tro-Cortesianus 106c.
8. Tro-Cortesianus 100d.
9. Chichen Itza, Temple of the Tigers, Painted Chamber (Maudslay, III, Pl. 40).
10. Nuttall 54.

PLATE 10

REPTILIA
Serpents
1. Tree snake (possibly Lachesis), Dresden 27c.
2. Nuttall 37.
3. Dresden 57b.
4. Nuttall 5.
5. Nuttall 37.
6. Nuttall.
7. Serpent in connection with long number series, Dresden 62.
8. Dresden 37b.
9. Dresden 40c.

PLATE 11

REPTILIA
Serpents
1. Large snake with conventionalized spots, Tro-Cortesianus 30a.
2. Tro-Cortesianus 31b.

PLATE 12

REPTILIA
Iguana, Lizards
1. Iguana as offering, Tro-Cortesianus 105c.
2. Iguana, Tro-Cortesianus 3b.
3. Iguana, as offering with Kan, Dresden 43c.
4. Same, Tro-Cortesianus 107b.
5. Same, Tro-Cortesianus 6a.
6. Same, Dresden 29b.
7. Offering, possibly representing a lizard, Dresden 27b.
8. Same, Dresden 34a.
9. Lizard used for Uinal glyph, Copan, Stela D, gl. 4. (Maudslay, I, Pl. 48).
10. Nahua day sign, Cuetzpalin (lizard), Aubin 10.
11. Lizard, Dresden 3a.
12. Nuttall 10.
13. Offering, the portion with serrated margin possibly representing an iguana, Tro-Cortesianus 12b.
14. Lizard, Nuttall 2.

PLATE 13

REPTILIA
Crocodile (Crocodilus)
1. Glyph of the Nahua day sign, Cipactli, Nuttall 1.
2. Crocodile represented by head and limb, Nuttall 36.
3. Same as fig. 1, Nuttall 1.
4. Same as fig. 1, Nuttall 4.
5. Same as fig. 1, Nuttall 9.
6. Same as fig. 1, Nuttall 47.
7. Same as fig. 1, Nuttall 1.
8. Nuttall 75.
9. Head of lizard or possibly crocodile used as a Uinal glyph, Palenque, Temple of the Foliated Cross (Maudslay, IV, Pl. 82, gl. 6).
10. Head of crocodile, Dresden 52b.
11. Head, possibly of a crocodile, Palenque, Temple of the Foliated Cross (Maudslay, IV, Pl. 82, gl. 0, 4).
12. Conventionalized head of a crocodile, Dresden 53b.

PLATE 14

REPTILIA
Turtles
1. Turtle, Tro-Cortesianus 19b.
2. Same, Tro-Cortesianus 17b.
3. Swimming turtle, Tro-Cortesianus 17a.
4. Possibly representing a turtle, Nuttall 33.
5. Turtle, Tro-Cortesianus 81c.
6. Freshwater turtle (Chelydra) with leeches attached, Tro-Cortesianus 72b.
7. Glyph for fig. 3.
8. Glyph.
9. Glyph.
10. Glyph.
11. Turtle, Nuttall 43.
12. Turtle god, Aac, Dresden 49.

PLATE 15

AVES
Herons Frigate bird
1. Heron, stucco ornament, Palenque, Palace, House B (Maudslay, IV, Pl. 18).
2. Heron head-dress, Chichen Itza, Temple of the Tigers, Lower Chamber (Maudslay, III, Pl. 45).
3. Head and neck of a heron, Dresden 37b.
4. Heron, Nuttall 74.
5. Heron with fish, Palenque, Temple of the Cross, West side panel (Maudslay, IV, Pl. 71).
6. Heron
7. Heron with a fish as a head-dress, Dresden 36a.
8. Fork-tailed bird, probably a Frigate bird (Fregata aquila), Tro-Cortesianus 34a.
9. Same, arranged for offering, Dresden 35a.

PLATE 16

AVES
Ocellated Turkey (Agriocharis ocellata)
1. Turkey in trap, Tro-Cortesianus 93a.
2. Turkey, Tro-Cortesianus 10b.
3. Turkey snared, Tro-Cortesianus 91a.
4. Tro-Cortesianus 4a.
5. Tro-Cortesianus 95c.
6. Tro-Cortesianus 37b.
7. Vaticanus 3773, 14.
8. Tro-Cortesianus 36a.
9. Whole turkey as offering, Dresden 26c.
10. Head of turkey as offering, Dresden 34a.
11. Same, Tro-Cortesianus 12b.
12. Same, Tro-Cortesianus 105b.
13. Dresden 20a.
14. Head of turkey as offering, Dresden 41c.
15. Same, Tro-Cortesianus 107b.
16. Same, Dresden 29c.
17. Same, Dresden 28c.

PLATE 17

AVES
King Vulture (Sarcorhamphus papa)
1. Tro-Cortesianus 67a.
2. Tro-Cortesianus 22c.
3. God with head of King Vulture, Dresden 19a.
4. King Vulture and Ocellated Turkey, Tro-Cortesianus 85a.
5. Glyph, showing head, Dresden 39c.
6. Same, Tro-Cortesianus 107c.
7. Same, Dresden 38b.
8. Same.
9. King Vulture, tearing out entrails of deer, Tro-Cortesianus 40a.
10. Tun period glyph (Maudslay, IV, Pl. 89).
11. Tro-Cortesianus 94c.
12. Tro-Cortesianus 26c.
13. Glyph, Chichen Itza, Monjas, east (Maudslay, III, Pl. 13).

PLATE 18

AVES.
King Vulture (Sarcorhamphus papa), Black Vulture (Catharista urubu)
1. Glyph of head of King Vulture, Dresden 11b.
2. Glyph for Nahua day sign, Cozcaquauhtli, Nuttall 5.
3. Same as fig. 2, Nuttall 41.
4. Same as fig. 2, Nuttall 5.
5. Same as fig. 2, Nuttall 4.
6. Same as fig. 2, showing considerable conventionalization. Nuttall 2.
7. Same as fig. 2, Nuttall 3.
8. Same as fig 2, further reduced, Nuttall 18.
9. Same as fig. 2, Nuttall 3.
10. Same as fig. 2, Nuttall 20.
11. Probably a Black Vulture, Tro-Cortesianus 95c.
12. Black Vulture, Tro-Cortesianus 70a.
13. Same, Dresden 17b.
14. Possibly a Black Vulture, Chichen Itza, Monjas, east (Maudslay, III, Pl. 13).
15. Head of Black Vulture, Nuttall 32.
16. Glyph of head of same, Dresden 54b.
17. Black Vulture, Tro-Cortesianus 36b.
18. Head of same, Tro-Cortesianus 26c.
19. Same, Dresden 39c.
20. Same, Nuttall 19.
21. Same, Nuttall 34.
22. Same, Dresden 37c.
23. Same, Nuttall 27.
24. Same, Nuttall 1.
25. Same, Nuttall 34.
26. Same, Nuttall 9.
27. Same, Tro-Cortesianus 19b.

PLATE 19

AVES.
Vultures
1. Vulture (probably a King Vulture) tearing at entrails of an animal, Tro-Cortesianus 42a.
2. Nuttall 69.
3. Nuttall 74.
4. Possibly a Black Vulture, Tro-Cortesianus 35b.
5. Tro-Cortesianus 26d.
6. Tro-Cortesianus 26d.
7. Dresden 3a.
8. Glyph, Copan (Maudslay, I, Pl. 16).
9. Glyph, Copan, Altar K (Maudslay, I, gl. 73).
10. Glyph, Tikal, House 9 (Maudslay, III, Pl. 79).
11. Black Vulture and snake, Dresden 36b.
12. Probably vultures, Tro-Cortesianus 100b.
13. Probably a vulture, Tro-Cortesianus 18b.
14. Same, Temple of the Tigers, Lower Chamber, Chichen Itza (Maudslay, III, Pl. 46).

PLATE 20

AVES
Harpy Eagle (Thrasaetos harpyia)
1. Glyph, Copan (Maudslay, I, Pl. 16, gl. 3).
2. Nuttall 53.
3. Glyph, Copan (Maudslay, I, Pl. 16, gl. 13).
4. Tro-Cortesianus 88c.
5. Part of a head-dress, Dresden 14c.
6. Peresianus 2.
7. Dresden 14b.
8. Eagle with crest feathers tipped by flints, Nuttall
9. Glyph, Tro-Cortesianus 107c.
10. Stone carving, Chichen Itza (Maudslay, III, Pl. 52).
11. Dresden 23c.
12. Possibly an eagle’s head, Dresden 43c.
13. Possibly an eagle, Dresden 74.
14. Bologna 7.

PLATE 21

AVES
Yucatan Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus mayensis)
1. Owl in flight, Stucco ornament, Palenque, Palace, House E (Maudslay, IV, Pl. 43).
2. Stone carving of owl, Yaxchilan, Stela 4 (Peabody Museum Memoirs, II, Pl. 70).
3. Owl in flight, carved in wood, Tikal, House C, lintel (Maudslay, III, Pl. 78).

PLATE 22

AVES
Yucatan Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus mayensis)
1. Bologna 7.
2. As a head-dress, Tro-Cortesianus 95c.
3. Borgia 7.
4. On end of staff carried by warrior, Chichen Itza, Temple of the Tigers, Lower Chamber (Maudslay, III, Pl. 49).
5. Aubin 13.
6. Head highly conventionalized, Palenque, Temple of the Sun (Maudslay, IV, Pl. 88).
7. Screech-owl (chiquàtli), Aubin.

PLATE 23

AVES
Yucatan Screech Owl or Moan-bird (Otus choliba thompsoni)
1. Dresden 7c.
2. Tro-Cortesianus 66a.
3. Dresden 11a.
4. As a head-dress, Tro-Cortesianus 94c.
5. As a head-dress, Dresden 18b.
6. Glyph associated with Moan-bird, Dresden 7c.
7. Same, Dresden 7c.
8. Dresden 10a.
9. Peresianus 10.
10. Peresianus 5.
11. Glyph representing head, Dresden 38c.
12. Same, Dresden 8b.
13. Same, Dresden 53b.
14. Same, Dresden 16c.
15. Glyph possibly representing Moan-bird, Dresden 38c.
16. Glyph of head, Dresden 53b.
17. Glyph associated with Moan-bird.
18. Tro-Cortesianus 73b.
19. As a head-dress, Dresden 16c.
20. As a head-dress, Tro-Cortesianus 95c.
21. Glyph associated with Moan-bird, Dresden 7c.

PLATE 24

AVES
Coppery-tailed Trogon or Quetzal (Pharomacrus mocinno)
1. Head-dress with crest feathers shown as knobs, Dresden 7c.
2. Head-dress, Dresden 13b.
3. Same, Dresden 16c.
4. Tro-Cortesianus 100b.
5. Tro-Cortesianus 70a.
6. Head-dress, Tro-Cortesianus 94c.
7. Nuttall 33.
8. Conventionalized tail as a head ornament, Dresden 20c.
9. Vaticanus 3773, 17.
10. Glyph, Palenque, Temple of the Sun (Maudslay, IV, Pl. 89, gl. O, 9).
11. Trogon descending on a sacrifice, Bologna 8.
12. Tro-Cortesianus 36b.
13. Glyph, Copan (Maudslay, I, Pl. 111, gl. 54).
14. Glyph apparently representing a trogon’s head, Dresden 20c.
15. Same, Dresden 9b.
16. Same, Dresden 3a.
17. Head, Nuttall 43.
18. Tro-Cortesianus 26c.
19. Figure with head ornament resembling a trogon glyph, Dresden 20c.

PLATE 25

AVES
Blue Macaw (Ara militaris)
1. Figure with macaw head and holding firebrands, Dresden 40b.
2. Head-dress, Dresden 16c.
3. Tro-Cortesianus 12a.
4. Glyph, Copan, Stela 11 (Maudslay, I, Pl. 112, gl. 12).
5. Same, Copan, Stela B (Maudslay, I, Pl. 38).
6. Glyph used in connection with fig. 1.
7. Glyph.
8. Stone carving of upper mandible and head, Copan, Stela B (Maudslay, I, Pl. 37).
9. Head, probably of a turtle, month sign Kayab, Quirigua, Stela A (Maudslay, II, Pl. 7, gl. 14).
10. Head, probably of a macaw, Copan, Altar Q (Maudslay, I, Pl. 93).
11. Tro-Cortesianus 37b.
12. Head, probably of a macaw, Copan, Stela A (Maudslay, I, Pl. 30, gl. 19).
13. Tro-Cortesianus 94c.

PLATE 26

AVES
Parrots, Turkeys
1. Macaw as a head-dress, Tro-Cortesianus 26c.
2. Bird of sacrifice, doubtless an Ocellated Turkey (Agriocharis) Dresden 25c. (Compare also Dresden 26c 27c, 28c.)
3. Head-dress, probably a macaw, Copan, Altar Q (Maudslay, I, Pl. 92).
4. Possibly a parrot (Amazona), Nuttall 4.
5. Head-dress, head of a macaw, Tro-Cortesianus 89a.
6. Head-dress, possibly representing a parrot, Dresden 12b.
7. Possibly a parrot (Amazona), Nuttall 71.
8. Glyph representing a macaw’s head, Tikal, Temple C (Maudslay, III, Pl. 78).
9. Parrot-like head-dress, Dresden 19a.
10. Possibly a macaw, Tro-Cortesianus 37b.
11. Parrot-like head-dress, Dresden 11b.
12. Bird of sacrifice, probably an Ocellated Turkey or a Chachalaca, Nuttall 22.
13. Parrot-like head-dress, Dresden 11a.
14. Head of Ocellated Turkey or a Chachalaca, Nuttall 5.

PLATE 27

AVES
Miscellaneous
1. Bird of sacrifice, an Ocellated Turkey or a Chachalaca, Nuttall 2.
2. Same, Nuttall 16.
3. Same, Nuttall 19.
4. Same, Nuttall 1.
5. Woodpecker possibly Campephilus imperialis, Nuttall 74.
6. Same, Nuttall 71.
7. Possibly a Raven (Corvus corax sinuatus), Nuttall 48.
8. Parrot (cocho), Aubin 11.
9. Same, Aubin 13.
10. Turkey-cock (uexolot), Aubin 11.
11. Same, Aubin 13.

PLATE 28

Various Animals
1. Earthenware vessel representing a tapir (Tapirella) with a necklace of Oliva shells (Seler, 1904b, p. 106, fig. 23).
2. Stone carving, possibly of a King Vulture (Sarcorhamphus papa), Copan, Altar T (Maudslay, I, Pl. 96).
3. Stone carving, possibly a lizard, Copan, Stela 6 (Maudslay I, Pl. 107).
4. Stone carving, probably a jaguar (Felis onca hernandezi), Copan, Stela 2 (Maudslay, I, Pl. 102).
5. Stone carving of a Black Vulture (Catharista urubu), Copan, Stela D (Maudslay, I, Pl. 48).
6. Lizard (?) attacked by two birds (?) perhaps vultures, Quirigua, Altar B (Maudslay, II, Pl. 15).

PLATE 29

MAMMALIA
Armadillo and Miscellaneous
1. Nine-banded Armadillo (Tatu novemcinctum), Tro-Cortesianus 103a.
2. Same, Tro-Cortesianus 92d.
3. Same, Tro-Cortesianus 103a.
4. Armadillo captured in a pitfall, Tro-Cortesianus 48a.
5. Undetermined animal, Dresden 14c.
6. Undetermined animal, possibly a frog or a marsupial, Tro-Cortesianus 33a.
7. Rodent, Nuttall 11.
8. Undetermined animal, Tro-Cortesianus 24d.

PLATE 30

MAMMALIA
Deer, Hare
1. Yucatan deer, caught in a snare, Tro-Cortesianus 48b.
2. Yucatan brocket (Mazama pandora) caught in a pitfall, Tro-Cortesianus 92a.
3. Glyph for hare or rabbit, Nuttall 16.
4. Same, Nuttall 5.
5. Yucatan deer, Dresden 60a.
6. Same, Tro-Cortesianus 30b.
7. Hare or rabbit, Nuttall 22.
8. Same, Dresden 61

PLATE 31

MAMMALIA
Yucatan Deer (Odocoileus yucatanensis)
1. Doe, Dresden 45c.
2. Same, Fégerváry-Mayer 26.
3. Same, Tro-Cortesianus 29c.
4. Same, Nuttall 50.
5. Same captured in snare, Tro-Cortesianus 86a.
6. Head-dress of god M, Tro-Cortesianus 50b.
7. Same, Tro-Cortesianus 51c.
8. Doe, Tro-Cortesianus 2b.
9. Head of same, Nuttall 43.
10. Head of doe as sacrifice, Tro-Cortesianus 77.
11. Same, Peresianus 10.
12. Haunch of venison as a sacrifice, Dresden 35a.
13. Same, Tro-Cortesianus 105b.
14. Same, Dresden 28c.
15. Same, Tro-Cortesianus  108a.

PLATE 32