Animal Figures in the Maya Codices

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.