Mystery animal on Mexican pommel

tom hyle · 22nd January 2005, 12:49 PM

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........

22nd January 2005, 12:49 PM	#5
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	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........