Mystery animal on Mexican pommel
 

I've seen this shape executed in horn scales, and never knew what to make of it; it's usually very stylized, and reminds me of a hog-nosed snake. This one is unusually explicit, and seems to depict some sort of mammal. Thoughts? ebay#6501927522

Hard to say, since most such animals are usually rendered crudely, schematically or fantastically. My guess would be a javelina.

It looks like a bat to me, Tom.

Nice piece. :)

For ease of reference.

To tell you the truth it rather resembles a vicuna or guinea pig to me, but would Mexicans use such on their swords? Doesn't that seem like a low-status animal? Javalina did come to mind.....As I say, this is not a singular piece; the stylized version is semi-common (comparable to a horse, say). In Peru there's a tradition of small house-beasts as women's wealth, but in Mexico? I'm gonna stare at it some and try to convince myself it's a bat.....seems too long-faced for a vampire, but there are certainly others. It's not just the Phillipines........

It reminds me of the stylized boar's heads one sees in old Celtic metalwork (remember that there were Spanish Celts). A pig perhaps? I don't think it's intended to be realistic.

Sure looks like a bat to me. :)


http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...UTF-8%26sa%3DG

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/nature/w...ges/tadbra.jpg

Chupacabra.

Well, Andrew, you certainly do know how to make a point :) Thanks for the pics.

rotfl :D

My pleasure, Tom. :)