What do were-jaguars tell us about the Olmec religious beliefs?

Mesoamerican cultures produced some of the most cultural intriguing artefacts that we have ever uncovered and are most ever likely to see. Their recovered art and architecture acts as a time capsule enabling us to learn about their culture, including their religious beliefs and practices. The style of art most primitive to Mesoamerican culture, namely the Olmec (1200-600B.C)[1]. Known as the “mother culture”[2] it is characterized by architecture, engravings, basalt sculpture and smaller portable relics all found within various sites of Mexico.  One recurring motif that is apparent throughout all mediums of these arts and certain cites is that of the “were-jaguar”.  The aim of this essay is to establish what the iconography of the “were-jaguar” in Olmec art meant to the Olmec civilisation, in terms of their mythology, religion and religious practices.

There are varying theories as to how the were-jaguar iconography originated in Olmec culture and why the motif is used at all. To be able to consider these theories and apply them to the artworks we must first distinguish the prominent features of the were-jaguar and why it was important to the Olmec religion. The Olmec way of life and beliefs were centred on the concept of duality. This is where the notion of the jaguar becomes fundamental, the Olmec believed in cosmic dualities such as night and day as well as Earth and sky. The Jaguar is part of a dualism which represents an optimum spirit, which possesses the mind and spirit of a man and the strength and agility of a jaguar, representing the dualism of the aerial and terrestrial. This becomes evident later when we consider the importance of the Olmec practice of shamanism.  So how realistic was the Jaguar featured when exemplified in Olmec art? The main attributes that were used and can be used to identify a were-jaguar in the art are an amalgamation of man and Jaguar incorporating a cleft head, almond shaped eyes which are sometimes slanted and a downturned open mouth. They weren’t prime examples of jaguars but the animalistic features notify the viewer that they are not wholly human. There is no solid evidence of the origin of the jaguar motif and is heavily debated, but there have been many theories to suggest its origins based upon the knowledge we now have of the Olmec civilisation and beliefs. I shall now address some of these theories. A theory that has become well established is the “Stirling Hypothesis” created by Matthew Stirling in 1955[3]. This theory proposes that the were-jaguar was produced through the mating of a Jaguar and an Olmec female human. There are other archaeologists who supported Stirling in this hypothesis, for example, Michael Coe[4]. Another theory suggests that the motif is a representation of genetic disorder that affected the Olmec civilisation through deformity, but why would the jaguar, an animal be the product of human genetic disorder?  There is also the obvious notion that the Jaguar could have had slightly different meanings to the Olmec throughout the civilization at varying times. However the remaining monuments cannot be allocated a time frame as the works were usually mutilated and then buried. The most probable belief of the origin of the were-jaguars motif is that the Jaguar held an incredible amount of spiritual meaning for the humans and therefore became incorporated into the Olmec iconography as a deity which was amalgamated with human representation. However, now we have an overview of possibilities as to how the were-jaguar motif was formed, it will be useful to look at the Olmec art which incorporated the motif in order to gain a more detailed insight as to how the motif was used for purposes in Olmec religion.

We can gain a higher understanding of Olmec religion in certain were-jaguar iconography artworks, the first one I shall analyse is the seated figure holding a were-jaguar baby found at Las Limas. This work has been considered the “Rosetta stone”[5] of Olmec art and has been referred to as a “Madonna”[6]. This sculpture is made from greenstone and is cradling an infant or “were-jaguar”, we know this because if exemplifies jaguar-like features. This piece of sculpture not only holds importance for the representation of the jaguar alone, if we look at this piece carefully it tells us more about the Olmec artistry and ultimately their beliefs.  The shoulder and knees of the human are inscribed with profile heads, four in total which represent Pantheon Gods. They are as follows; the death god, crocodilian earth monster, fire god and the god of spring vegetation. These gods reveal more about the Olmec mythology, for instance, the most important god was a dragon whom is opposed by a bird monster. We can also see the maize god inscribed on the chin of the figure which opposes the rain god which is represented by the were-jaguar baby itself.  The remaining two gods, the death god and the god of spring vegetation are also in opposition; the death god represented by a fish god, vegetation god is represented as a banded-eye god which is a motif for the rebirth of life. What this tells us about Olmec religion is that there was never only one reigning God, but rather multiple ones (much like their leaders) that were for different elements of worship within their belief system. Moving onto different artefacts that the Olmec created, which also carry the were-jaguar motif as well as the gods mentioned earlier are pectorals and axes or Celts, obviously used for different purposes than that of the sculptures. These give us an even further insight to Olmec religion as well as materials used within the culture. In interest of this essay, it is interesting to consider the axes and pictorials that are anthropomorphic in keeping with the were-jaguar motif. Were-jaguar motifs on Axes made of Jade were especially considered important because Jade itself was considered to withhold life within the stone; this was believed to revive humans in the afterlife by placing a “small circular piece”[7] in their mouths. One axe that is of particular importance and interest of this essay is one found at “Mound A, Tomb E at the site of La venta”[8] by Matthew Stirling who I mentioned earlier. The axe was made into two segments which represent a head and a body below, it is of trapezoid shape and crafted from a block of green stone which was cool to the touch which suggested a representation of the element water locked inside the stone. The were-jaguar motifs can be seen, such as the downturned mouth, flattened nose, and the V-shaped cleft, but there is more iconography represented through the use of the flame eyebrow motif. Bright red cinnabar situated in the grooves of the features identifies the fire dragon as well as blood which were a sacred substance, all of which define Olmec art. This is an important axe because it contains a duality that the Mesoamerican believed existed between the celestial realm and humans on earth, the amalgamation of the two fire and water elements as well as the incorporation of the jaguar suggests that they were closely associated with their gods and that metaphors were used for these dualities through the use of natural materials.

The Olmec not only included the were-jaguar motif in their sculptural art but it was also incorporated in art as body ornaments or otherwise known as “pectorals which were placed on the chest”[9].  Different from the mainstream sculptures and altars, I feel an analysis of a pectoral will ensure a wide range of sources covered in order to enforce the notion of the were-jaguars presence throughout a large portion of Olmec art and sites.  At the smaller Olmec site of La Encrucijada (twenty-five miles)[10] from La Venta an elliptical shaped pectoral was discovered which bears the were-jaguar features, most prominently slanted and elongated eyes, a wide flattened nose, the cleft in the head and the gummed downturned mouth. It proves that the were-jaguar motif was a fundamental design in Olmec art as it was even worn by the humans in the form of ornaments; of course, these could have been worn during religious shamanic rituals which I will now explain in more detail, of how the jaguar is of significance during ritual transformations.

According to Scott, “The blend of human and animal suggests shamanic transformation and the spirits seen in the shaman’s visions”[11].  Of course this could only be achieved alongside the intake of hallucinogens that would help human shamans reach a trance like state which was said to take the human soul higher towards the Gods, and by morphing into and reaching a were jaguar amalgamation a human would take on the status of the prestigious jaguar and be in the support of the Gods, in the process of retrieving stolen souls. If we are to believe the Stirling hypothesis, the jaguar would be the Olmec ancestors living in the underworld and celestial realms acting almost as an avatar between the alive and dead .The Olmec would rely on these journeys in order to gain power, with the guidance of animals as their guide. Whereas toads, which were also used in this process, represented a cycle, as in a shedding of a skin, this provides the metaphor as to how the humans embodied a transformed body of human and jaguar to become an entirely new species when entering the celestial realms of the Gods. When a shaman was depicted as being in a trance state, the Olmec would represent the were-jaguar in a kneeling pose, which to us signifies that a religious and spiritual practice is taking place. It was also common to depict certain stages within the transformation, which is interesting because when an artist created one of these works from sacred materials the artist’s power was said to become consumed within the object, essentially heightening its power. The actual transformation of the material through crafting aimed to equate to the power of the shamans following ritualistic transformation. It seems then that to evolve fully to jaguar status was incredibly important to shamans and that only full power would be achieved through a fully completed sacred artefact.  So what does this tell us about Olmec religion? The issue of duality appears here once again, the human leaders were trying to establish a duality with the gods through transformation during worship and with the jaguar being considered as a spiritual companion for humans and also a deity within Olmec religion. It is for the were-jaguar to be the example of shamanist morphing when exploring realms between earth and the higher realms. Having established the idea of shamanism alongside this, the Olmec may have used the morphing figures themselves as sacred relics when trying to reach the were-jaguar state during shamanism, in other words the art was created to give the shaman or ruler power equating the Jaguar to the shamans alter-ego as it were.

The main conclusion we can draw from analysing the Olmec civilisation and their art that featured the were-jaguar motif, is essentially that the motif was fundamental in their religious practices. It is widely utilised in their art to represent its importance in their beliefs, from sculptures, axes to carvings. We learn a substantial amount from these works, most importantly what kinds gods and rulers the Olmec worshiped, so we don’t only learn about the Olmec mythology, but also we learn about their craftsmanship and how they chose to represent them through iconography. Another major element of Olmec religion which is represented through the were-jaguar motif is the practice of shamanism. This informs us in that if what the Olmec believed about the underworld and celestial realms and transformation towards a higher plane; essentially establishing a cosmic duality with the gods. The materials used when making the were-jaguars, such as precious Jade stone shows that the Olmec were making actual relics that were so sacred that they were willing to use the most prestigious materials to make a statement. The were-jaguar was essentially a metaphorical motif which the Olmec used vastly throughout their art, it represented strength and agility of the Olmec by creating an amalgamation of the humans and of the strong, ferocious land animal, it is therefore considered a deity within their religion.

Bibliography:

Benson,E.P,  B. Fuente, Olmec art of ancient Mexico, National Gallery of Art, 1996.

Eliade,M,  the Encylopedia of religion, Volume 11, Macmillan, 1987. Pp.66.

Metropolitan Museum of Art, John.P.O’Neill editor in chief, Mexico Splendours of thirty centuries, Bulfinch press, 1990.

Scott,J.F,  Latin American Art, Ancient to Modern, The university press of Florida, 1999.

Web Sources:

http://nativeamericanencyclopedia.com/were-jaguar/

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[1] J.F.Scott, Latin American Art, Ancient to Modern, The university press of Florida, 1999. Pp.27

[2] J.F.Scott, Latin American Art, Ancient to Modern, The university press of Florida, 1999.pp.29

[3] M.Eliade, the Encylopedia of religion, Volume 11, Macmillan, 1987. Pp.66.

[4] http://nativeamericanencyclopedia.com/were-jaguar/

[5] E.P.Benson, B. Fuente, Olmec art of ancient Mexico, National Gallery of Art, 1996. Pp170.

[6] J.F.Scott, Latin American Art, Ancient to Modern, The university press of Florida, 1999 Pp 28.

[7] J.F.Scott, Latin American Art, Ancient to Modern, The university press of Florida, 1999.pp 29.

[8] Metropolitan Museum of Art, John.P.O’Neill editor in chief, Mexico Splendours of thirty centuries, Bulfinch press, 1990. Pp65.

[9] Metropolitan Museum of Art, John.P.O’Neill editor in chief, Mexico Splendours of thirty centuries, Bulfinch press, 1990. Pp.66.

[10] Metropolitan Museum of Art, John.P.O’Neill editor in chief, Mexico Splendours of thirty centuries, Bulfinch press, 1990. Pp67.

[11] J.F.Scott, Latin American Art, Ancient to Modern, The university press of Florida, 1999. Pp. 27.