Pulque Bear

This incredible bear carving by Pedro Mendez has intricate painting featuring pre-hispanic iconography and symbolism. Each of the four legs has an illustration.

The front left leg shows the Aztec God Quetzalcoatl (represented by the feathered snake).

The back right leg shows Kukulcán, the Mayan wisdom deity related to Quetzalcoatl.

The front right leg depicts the Water-Lily Jaguar, an anthropomorphic form of an important Maya god. His special attribute is a water-lily atop his head, which may reflect the jaguar’s love of water. This jaguar god moves and acts like a human. His necklace is called a death-eye collar and is part of his attire for the sacrificial death dance. The Water-Lily Jaguar is a significant character in Maya narrative artwork.

The scene on the back left leg represents the extraction of the spirit beverage pulque from the maguey plant.

The seashells on the body represent fertility and birth. It is also a symbol related to Quetzalcoatl.

Dimensions: 40cm (w) x 19cm (d) x 21cm (h)
Weight: 2.5kg