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From Werjaguar to the rain god

On the trail of an enigmatic display motif.
Gisela Ermel
Paper presented at the 1-day meeting of the Research Society of Archaeology, Astronautics and SETI, Siegen, October 2008




Who has not heard of the famous "astronauts" from El Baul, shown on a stele of Central American Olmec? In numerous books of the Paleo-SETI researcher, he is described as a human figure that appears to bear a kind of space suit with helmet and breathing tube. From the perspective of American Studies is this motif in a number of representations that have undergone a noticeable development. One finds the motif carved in stone, on ceramic, on wall paintings, as a figurine, mask, sculpture and much more. Who or what has been presented? To
BC around 1200. did Stone Age farmers in Central America a sudden flood jump to high culture, with no necessary to do the intermediate and stages of development. They started not only from one day to another so as to build on the drawing board designed cities with astronomical and geometrical layout, but they represent at once figures and things that seem fantastic and unrealistic features. The archaeologist
Saville, who in the 1920s excavated sites of this culture was the first to notice that the most popular motif of the Olmec was a figure that apparently features a man with a jaguar-like, feline facial features and showed, although more or less pronounced. But what does this picture, no one knew.


drawing by Covarrubias: Examples of Werjaguare and rain gods

Covarrubias, a Mexican artist known for his analysis of pre-Columbian art had, his lively interest in the 1940s with the so-called Werjaguar. This resulted in several sketches, of which constituted the development of the Olmec Jaguar God of the people to rain later Zapotec and Maya. The typical features of these shows have included: a hat, usually helmet-shaped, often enclosing the whole head, sometimes with a column on top, from the an object was sticking or not is a kind of square Jaguar mouth with fang-or tube-like elements, a nasal or respiratory strange symbol and stylized eyebrows.
In the mid-20th Century, researchers began to debate about what might have been well represented here. A Jaguar God? An early version of the Rain God? An earth god? A shaman? The term "Werjaguar", which became established relatively quickly, is a pure brand name of modern archaeologists and says nothing about what had the Olmecs want to represent.
Then Matthew Stirling was a stone monument in the Olmec site Potrero Nuevo, apparently a female with a Person copulating Jaguar showed. Was there, he said, a myth, had witnessed in which people and a race of Jaguar Jaguar people? Soon, two similar monuments have been found, one in San Lorenzo, the oldest Olmec city.


sketch of relief figures from Chalcatzingo: "flying Olmecs"

When a number of top archaeologists at the Dumbarton Oaks Conference in October 1967, closely examines the Werjaguar, including Kent Reilly with a whole new speculation was because . The so-called "flying Olmecs" of Chalcatzingo, people with typical Jaguar helmet and enigmatic object in his hand, surrounded by birds, symbolisieen could connect to the sky and possibly darts ellen a flying shaman. There was only one catch. No one knew whether the Olmecs had so ever known anything like shamanism or practiced. There were no findings that indicated that.

drawing by Covarrubias

Also at the conference "The Cult of the Feline", which took place in late autumn of 1970, debated, again, the participants excited about the Central American Werjaguar. David Grove was known that pure jaguars have been shown very rarely, and then the alleged Jaguar characteristics of human figures are purely hypothetical. The development of eye glasses Werjaguargesicht the rain god of the classical and post-classical, as proposed by Covarrubias, he considered doubtful. A mistake, as we know today. At the conference disagreed with the statement Groves George Kubler and claimed that the eyes of the Olmec Werjaguars very well be a precursor of later eye rims of the rain god. Meanwhile, Peter had

Joralemon a thorough analysis undertaken Olmec motifs, the results he presented 1972nd For his studies he had inspected all reachable objects in private and public collections and then isolated 175 individual subjects, but dividing it into ten main groups of which they only Variants were. In his view, is represented here for ten Olmec deities including the Feathered Serpent, the rest: Variants of the Werjaguars. He was the first who wondered if the figure in El Baul - our "Astronaut" - an early form of the later rain god represents. When God was interpreted by the way not only to Joralemons times everything that has the same human and non-human characteristics, each archaeologist would probably fall into Erklärungsnot the question: What is God? Joralemon corrected himself later, and suggested instead the term "God" the term "pattern of certain characteristics" before.

A surprise brought the analysis of the alleged Copulation Monuments of Rio Chiquito, the William Clewlow conducted. He questioned the interpretations of the scene and said it was not even clear whether the lower figure is female. This scene did not constitute sexual pose, but show a winner, the bow over the defeated person. And that's what you see on the few other copulation monuments that had been found in other places. This view was soon to other Ancient American, embarrassed to admit it now had a closer look reveals that they had probably seen as something that was impossible to see.

far, most archaeologists argue about what might have been the inspiration for the Werjagur and the later rain god, and why both have so many similar features. Lived the role models for these motifs only in the minds of the people of that time? Jaguar were human, god of rain and maize god only variations of a common basic motif of the time from the mysterious and sudden jump of the Olmec culture? But what basis could have been the motive?

head of a figurine Tlatilco, Drawing: According to Covarrubias Covarrubias

placed a figurine found in the archetype of Tlatilco Werjaguar motif dar. The resulting head surrounds him wearing a helmet, and the only one to think of a Jaguar could, the fang-like Details from the mouth.

An example from the same period - about 1200 BC. - Derived ceramic mask from Las Bocas is a kind of empty helmet, whose incomprehensible details that constitute Olmecs appeared like a jaguar. The simultaneous stone head from Laguna de los Cerros shows, according to the excavators a head with Jaguar mask, but the Jaguar-like of this monument may also only on a mistaken interpretation based - either just the modern Ausgräbr or already has that of the former artist.

ceramic mask of the Olmec from Las Bocas

stone head from Lagua de los Cerros

Monument 10 from San Lorenzo shows the typical time early "Werjaguar" means a person with a helmet with a column and think its "mouth" is indeed a Jaguar foot leaves. However, it is natural to wonder whether this "jaguar mouth" not much more the part of a helmet is kopfumschliessenden.

Monument 10 from San Lorenzo

the findings from the first period of the Olmec culture after the jump, there are many such monuments and figurines. The motive must have been very important.

BC To 900th in Central America began a second phase of Olmec culture, which in turn was associated with the erection geometric-astronomical sites and facilities and continued the theme of Werjaguars. In La Venta and contemporaneous sites by numerous examples of such depictions. Strikingly, the fact that many of these "Werjaguare" were presented in a context of apparently flying people or even to fly, or float from the sky is herabzuturnen seem.

Izapa stele with an upside down next "Werjaguar"

On are probably the most famous "flying Olmecs" from Chalcatzingo (which I mentioned earlier nice), disposes with the typical helmets and the equally typical standard equipment in their hands.

On most mysterious are the Werjaguare - or should we say: the helmeted person? -, Manning a "monster mouth" as it described the excavators. Since there is one helmet bearing beings who sit in a desk-shaped "mouth", the Ausgräbr dubbed these objects "altar" and "throne", but no one knows what they are to represent.

are "altar" from La Venta

monuments with this scene from the beginning of the Olmec culture. San Lorenzo and La Venta find numerous examples. This scene was depicted as a rock relief. In Chalcatzingo is known as "El Rey" has become well known monument.

Chalcatzingo-rock relief "El Rey"

As you can see a helmeted person sitting in something that archaeologists describe as a stylized monster mouth in profile, surrounded by rain clouds. What comes out of the "mouth" should be symbols for sounds that have no idea unreasonable if one assumes that the clouds are to indicate that moving the helmeted figure with this "thing" or in the sky. A very similar rock relief of Chalcatzingo rewrote David Grove as "a supernatural person, sitting in the clover-leaf-like mouth of a supernatural creature." So one can describe it, of course, too! Other attempts at interpretation are talking about people sitting in a fire serpent.

Like the helmeted person with breathing symbol in front of the nose, which is shown on Monument 19 from La Venta within a stylized snake. The helmet in this scene looks like folded up - to the folded-up "Jaguar mouth"? A snake on a horseback Shaman, as has been speculated? No, all these monster mouths, "which is also insulated - so to speak, without a crew - there must be a major subject of my, which was manned by helmeted person, or you could go into the.

Monument 19 in La Venta

little later than the Olmec La Venta-time in Zapotec sites appear on the first rain gods, but they are nothing more than the variation of the Olmec Zapotec Werjaguars. The helmet is also available, as the enigmatic earlobes, and from the "flaming eyebrows" are apparently now the goggles become responsible for The archaeologists are automatically a feature of the rain god. Here, too, would have these professionals actually get into Erklärungsnot if you ask: What is a Rain God - and why should the need a helmet and goggles?

It's funny that you find this statement so few proposals. The "rain god" is, it must be said clearly, a pure fancy name of modern archaeologists, which evidently means the water wave-like markings on the headband or helmet of the people are the only features that seem to indicate some form of rain. Rain gods, who hold views on vessels from which something - rain? - Will come out come, first from much later times, and here is that this is just a modern interpretation.

Monument of Monte Alban

The Zapotec rain god-images are nothing but still the same person with a helmet and unidentifiable details in it and with the equipment. One of the monuments found in Monte Alban, looks like a person in a body-hugging suit and helmet and has unfolded like a colleague of the "astronauts" of El Baul.

In El Baul, a site that has BC to approximately 350 kg. flourished, there is not only the famous "Character with the space helmet," but also several examples of "manned" and "unmanned monster mouths. The "Astronaut" but is nothing more than the El Baul-based version of the Olmec motif.

In the following period from about 300 BC. were still everywhere these Werjaguare shown, and this not only Olmec, but also very early Maya sites. Representations that have an object protruding from the helmet column are across the board interpreted as a corn god, but only because this subject in many cases the shape is similar to an ear of corn. The figures of this time still wear helmets - with and without a gap - and the mandatory breath symbol in front of the nose. Why Archaeologists times a Werjaguar and sometimes speak of a rain god, is incomprehensible. And still there at that time the manned monster mouths, in Tres Zapotes on one of the pillars equipped with three crew members.

something unclear is the relationship between the Werjaguar motif and the iconography of Teotihuacan, the new cultural center is about 1,200 years after the start of the Olmec culture. This appears at once the Jaguar motif combined with bird and snake characteristics. Karl Taube speculated whether the Teotihuacanos maybe threw the Olmec Werjaguar with the Feathered Serpent in a pot. Maybe they wusses, however, that both belong together motives?

From the year AD 150th we find the Werjaguar / Rain God in Monte Alban and other sites but still presented with the typical features, but now completely exaggerated. The excavators are talking about symbolic headdress and tubular elements to mask or helmet of snake tongues. Sheer fantastic decorations you can see the former head of the column Werjaguars days, but it is still present in many examples.

It is the time to start in the Maya, their building of huge monster-foot stucco mask equip. Rulers on steles bear fantastic head structures and are often on the ancient "monster mouth". A little later, who from heaven descending gods in Chichen Itza oversized helmets with hose-like appendages in front of the nose and the apparently important breathing symbol.

heads with respiratory symbols from different eras, drawing: Covarrubias

It's funny: while the head structures were more bizarre and larger, simplified the breathing symbol plain to a character, often simply indicated by a tiny circle in front of the nose. It must have been just the detail of immense importance.

While the classic Maya from about 900 remain a helmet and breathing symbol of many standard characters. From the figure column with the helmet / head poking out what something is in the opinion of Covarrubias now become the Maize God. There

detail of the stela 19, Seibal

The alleged Jaguar muzzle not only since this time in the variant as a "duck bill mask" and the more recent, wind screen of the Sky Lord Nine Wind or Quetzalcoatl. Helmets cover or enclose still heads the persons depicted, are still apparent, although rare, the good old Jaguar trapezoidal foot and trunk-or tube-like details, such as Maya God "Tapirnase" or "long lip God." From the tubular Details to face or helmet of Werjaguars are now as "whiskers of the Rain God" or the "nose of the shredded water god 'and similar nonsense become modern interpretation.

Still, the experts argue about what may have been the model for Werjaguar and rain god. You have to consider this subject in the overall context. Since we have access to the sudden cultural leap the stone age farmers to high culture, without culture bearer with knowledge of astronomy, surveying, engineering and many others is unthinkable and not without planning and control, on the other hand we have the simultaneous start of a motif that helmeted and being equipped with mysterious objects or people shows often in connection with sky symbolism, which is of no real role models poorly conceivable.

Helmeted persons detail was a vase of classic Maya

Until the time of the conquest of Mexico into person or represented gods, who apparently came down from heaven, equipped with helmets or Wind Masks "and various Ausstattungsgegegständen.

Sky Lord 9 Wind with wind screen descends from heaven: A scene from the Codex Vindobonensis, about 1360 were

this perspective would be the famous astronaut of El Baul "more of a heavenly culture bearer, as a Werjaguar or rain god, and that goes for all other such figures.