ANIMAL FIGURES IN THE MAYA CODICES 



341 



Landa (1864, p. 190)* that birds were domesticated for the 

 feathers. This bird occurs again and again in various modi- 

 fications throughout the Maya art. The feathers of the 

 quetzal are the ones usually associated with the serpent, 

 making the rebus, Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent, the 

 culture hero of the Nahuas, or Kukulcan, which has the same 

 signification among the Mayas. It is impossible to mention 

 here all the various connections in which the quetzal appears. 

 The feathers play an important part in the composition of 



Fig. 7. 

 QUETZAL, TEMPLE OF THE CROSS, PALENQUE. 



the head-dresses of the priests and warriors, especially those 

 in the stone carvings. A quotation has already been given 

 from Landa, showing the use made of feathers in the dress 

 of the people. Text fig. 7 shows perhaps the most elaborate 

 representation of this bird. It is found on the sculptured 

 tablet of the Temple of the Cross at Palenque. The quetzal 

 is shown seated on top of a branching tree which was long 

 taken to represent a cross. A similar representation is seen 



*"Crian paxaros para su recreacion y para las plumas para hazer sus ropas 

 galanas." 



