A fringe author seems to be claiming this Aztec sculpture represents a lion. Is their any orthodox discussion of this art piece?


[the2001face.50megs.com]

From the bottom of the site linked above

Like the Olmec and many other Mesoamerican cultures, the Egyptians also wore false beards, as can be seen in the death mask of Tutankhamun. It is thought that the Egyptians used the false beards to mimic these same Semitic kings (such as the Sumerians). Mesoamerica had it's own lion in the form of the jaguar. It would be reasonable to assume that the Olmec would have regarded the jaguar as the New World's equivalent of the lion. Since the jaguar does not have a mane it would also be reasonable to assume that the ancient Olmec would have regarded the lion, with it's full mane, as a "bearded jaguar". In the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City there is a large Aztec reliquary that is carved in the shape of a full "jaguar" (figure 3). This amazing sculpture which weighs over six tons was unearthed at Templo Mayor in Mexico City way back in 1790. The most intriguing characteristics of this so-called jaguar sculpture is that it has no spots, which a jaguar does, and it has a mane, which a jaguar does no. Note; that the partial mane on this reliquary is similar in size and shape to the "mane" feature found on the Feline side of the "Face". The mythology of the Jaguar God is associated with the Maya god archeologists call GIII, who is human in aspect and has jaguar features including a "beard".