Jaguar and Serpent: The Cosmos of Indians in Mexico, Central and South America

Berlin, Dietrich Reimer Verlag, 2000 235 pages with plates, figures, and maps. Quarto (11 3/4" x 9 3/4") issued in black cloth with red lettering to spine. Translated by Ann Leslie Davis. Erratum laid in. 1st edition. Since time immemorial, people have attempted to archive their thoughts and views of the natural cosmos - whether through the collection of iconographic textiles, counting ropes, feather rods, bamboo or wool shields or picture writing, sculpture, depictions, tiles and masks. Animals formed of stone, wood and clay show clearly that animals have served as representatives for religious, mythical and political ideas, and as symbols of power. Within an Indian context, the magic, fertility, but also defenselessness and stupidity. The serpent, in contrast, appears as a mediator between humans and their gods and was always honored as a symbol for their fertility in the old Indian cultures. The portrayals of both jaguar and serpent are influenced the results of religious interpretations and differ according to time period and social structure. Plants also belong within this scenario: As a rule, they embody the qualities of fertility and health, which are only initiated through ritual mediation. Even the most utilitarian activity, the preparation of food in the kitchen, evinces the connection between practical and interpretive knowledge of nature. Condition: Fine in like jacket. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Fine/Fine.