Icons of power : feline symbolism in the Americas

摘要: Icons of Power investigates why the image cat has been such a potent symbol in art, religion and mythology indigenous American cultures for three thousand years. The jaguar puma epitomize ideas sacrifice, cannibalism, war, status startling array graphic enduring images. Natural supernatural felines inhabit shape-shifting world sorcery spiritual power, revealing shamanic nature Amerindian views. This pioneering collection offers unique pan-American assessment feline icon through diversity cultural interpretations, but also striking parallels its associations with hunters, warriors, kingship, fertility, sacred political power. Evidence is drawn from pre-Columbian Aztec Maya Mexico, Peruvian, Panamanian civilizations, recent pueblo Iroquois North America, to current Amazonian Andean societies. well-illustrated volume essential reading all who are interested symbolic construction animal icons, their variable meanings, place natural conceived lens culture. cross-disciplinary approach embraces archaeology, anthropology, art history.