Representations of ducks in Mesoamerica

Abstract

The close ties of Mesoamerican people with their environment led to the interest, fascination, curiosity and respect for diverse animal species. This connection was so strong that the people began to give animals a mythical, divine, sacred, and fantastic status. The duck was one of these animals. Its representation may be found in the Early Preclassic, Classic and up to Postclassic periods; these representations were common to diverse Mesoamerican areas. Continuity in the manufacture of duck representations, along with the diversity and value of materials used raises the following questions: What was the importance of ducks for pre-Hispanic societies? What were the associations and/or the symbolism of this bird? The following study tries to answer these questions through an iconographic study of a group of forty-three pieces from different periods and sources in Mesoamerica; the study is complemented by contextual information from where the pieces were found and theoretical references relevant to the subject.