【戦国武田氏とも似た武闘派アステカ文化 古代メキシコ-8】

　さて古代メキシコの東京国立博物館での特別展からの民族性探究、テオティワカン文化の地域に後継的に出現したアステカ文化についてであります。名前から刷り込まれているイメージはもっとも武闘派のイメージ。
　実際にはその成立は1428年頃からスペインによる侵攻によって滅亡する1521年までの約95年間というメキシコ中央部に栄えたメソアメリカ文明の国家。この時期は日本では戦国期のまっ盛りということになる。言ってみれば戦国最大の軍事地域国家・甲斐武田氏みたいなイメージと思える。
　日本中央地域を抑えた織田政権は堺からの貿易によって軍事力を近代化して征服地域を圧倒的に拡大していったけれど、甲斐武田氏は、地理的にその兵器近代化競争で後れを取って滅亡した。まぁディテールを端折って巨視的に見ればこういう把握がふさわしいと思える。
　どうも、スペインの侵略に潰滅させられたというアステカの運命が重なって見える気がします。
　いちばん上の神殿は石造。太陽神信仰らしくひとびとの目線の高台から託宣するような舞台装置。


　かれらの宗教儀式に於いては、くりかえし「生け贄」が捧げられ、その頭蓋が聖なるモノとして供されていた。人間の臓器や部位が取り上げられて神に捧げられる儀式が延々と行われる。その下の写真は聖なるナイフとされている。ナイフにまるで人格が付与されているようなデザイン。このような宗教儀式のスタイルを見て、近代人としてのスペイン人たちはその宗教的な距離感に恐怖観念を植え付けられただろうことも容易に想像できる。
　しかしアステカの軍事力は主たる武器は石器が使われ、かろうじて青銅器もあったという段階。鉄器の利用はなかったと言われている。鋭利な鉄器と飛び道具としての鉄砲銃器で武装したスペインの近代軍には為す術はなかった。
　この点ではむしろ、鉄器生産では弥生期からの歴史があり、そして銃器も国内で生産されていた戦国のニッポンは、世界史的にも珍しい非西欧国家だったのだとも言える。接触した西洋人たちは鉄砲が輸入されると瞬く間に国内生産されていく様子を見て、その技術力に驚愕しただろうことも想像できる。
　すくなくとも鉄器については中国大陸で独自に開発され、その利器を獲得するために古代日本国家は朝鮮半島の政治情勢にも深く関与し、やがて国産するに至る歴史過程を持っている。同時代に、他の文明地域との交流が叶わなかったアステカ、中央アメリカ地域の特殊性ということが出来るだろうか。
　そういう意味では人類グレートジャーニーの最終地域に近く、人間痕跡の積層からの隔絶がかれらの悲劇に結びついていったのかも知れない。


English version⬇

The Aztec Culture of the Warring States Aztecs, similar to the Takeda Clan of Warring States, Ancient Mexico-8
The Aztecs' religious rituals and military organization were extremely militant, but their weapons were stone tools and bronze tools. Did the Western Spanish fear this culture and eliminate it? ...

This is an ethnographic exploration of ancient Mexico from a special exhibition at the Tokyo National Museum on the Aztec culture that emerged as a successor to the Teotihuacan culture in the region. The image imprinted by the name is that of the most martial people.
　In reality, the Aztecs were a Mesoamerican civilization that flourished in central Mexico for about 95 years, from around 1428 until their destruction by the Spanish invasion in 1521. This period was the height of the Warring States period in Japan. In other words, it is like the Kai Takeda clan, the largest military regional state in the Warring States period.
　While the Oda regime, which controlled the central region of Japan, modernized its military power through trade from Sakai and expanded its conquests overwhelmingly, the Kai Takeda clan fell behind in the race to modernize its weaponry due to its geographical location and perished. Well, if we look at it from a macroscopic point of view without going into details, this seems to be an appropriate way to understand the situation.
　I feel that the fate of the Aztecs seems to overlap with the fate of the Aztecs, who were crushed by the Spanish invasion.
　The top temple is made of stone. It is a stage set up as if it were an oracle from a height above the people's eye level, as is typical of the belief in the sun god.

In their religious ceremonies, "sacrifices" were made repeatedly, and the skull was offered as a sacred object. The rituals in which human organs and parts were taken away and offered to the gods went on and on. The picture below is supposed to be a sacred knife. The design makes it look as if the knife has been given a personality. It is easy to imagine that the Spaniards as modern people would have been instilled with a fearful notion of religious distance by seeing this style of religious rituals.
　However, Aztec military power was at a stage where stone tools were used as the primary weapons, and there were barely any bronze weapons. It is said that there was no use of iron weapons. They were no match for the modern Spanish army, which was armed with sharp-edged iron weapons and firearms as leapfrogs.
　In this respect, it can be said that Japan, which had a history of iron production since the Yayoi period and produced firearms domestically during the Warring States period, was a non-Western nation, which is rare in the history of the world. One can imagine that Westerners who came into contact with Japan must have been astonished at the technological capabilities of the country when they saw how guns were produced domestically in the blink of an eye after they were imported.
　At the very least, iron weapons were developed independently in mainland China, and in order to acquire such weapons, the ancient Japanese nation became deeply involved in the political situation on the Korean peninsula and eventually produced them domestically. The Aztecs and Central Americans were not able to communicate with other civilizations in the same period, and this could be seen as a peculiarity of the region.
　In this sense, the Aztecs were close to the final region of the Great Journey of mankind, and their isolation from the layers of human traces may have led to their tragedy.

【東京国立博物館2022年度特別展の動員比較】

　さてブログでほぼ毎日書き続けるのに一定のテーマ特定は不可欠なので、人と住まいという大テーマの範囲内でテーマ特定して書き続けています。そのうちにこういったテーマ毎に串刺しして「まとめ」にチャレンジもしたいのですが、時間が取れない（泣）。連載の「古代メキシコ」篇はテオティワカン文化の終了にあわせ本日はいったん休載。
　テーマで大きなウェートを占めるのはやはり歴史と人間文化。住まいはひとの暮らしのイレモノであり、その主体の観念世界との関係性がいちばんの領域になっていくのが自然。結局は人間の興味がすべてを決定していく。
　そんなことを考え続けていると、よく行く東京国立博物館での展示テーマ構成というものには「現代人の興味分野、その文化面」のひとつのバロメーターではと思っています。
　札幌と距離は離れた東京・上野だけれど、比較的に出張機会も多いので時間を見て足を運んでいる。
　で、考えて見ると博物館側が選択する特別展のバラエティには、それが特に「国立」であることもあって、現代日本人意識の一断面が表れるものでしょう。さらに言えば、そういう特別展の「総入場人数」には現代ニッポンの人間の考え方・率直な意識が表れるのではないか。
　そんなことで、2022年・昨年の特別展のデータを参照してみたのが、上の画像データであります。入場人数のデータを拾ってみると以下の通り。（同館の展示会表示順）
１　東京国立博物館150周年記念特別展　　　351,153人
２　日中国交50周年記念特別展　　　　　　 27,839人
３　沖縄復帰50周年「琉球」特別展　　　　 90,395人
４　特別展「空也上人と六波羅蜜寺」　　　 146,085人
５　特別展「ポンペイ」　　　　　　　　　 197,700人
　各展示会毎で若干開催日には長短がある。最低48日から最長70日という幅。カレンダーとの見合いなどいろいろな条件があるのでしょうが、おおむね２ヶ月が単位になっているようです。
　さすがに「東京国立博物館のすべて」みたいな展示会が最高の動員。またわたしも参観して写真撮影OKだったのでブログで古代ヨーロッパの住環境として取り上げた「ポンペイ展」がなかなかの動員ぶり。
　「空也上人と六波羅蜜寺」というややマニアックな展示も健闘を見せている。沖縄の復帰50周年は国内有数の観光地域であり、多くの国民が実際に観光訪問していることを考えれば、テーマ設定自体にハンディがあったのかも知れない。
　そういうなかで最もふるわなかったのが日中国交50周年記念特別展。わたしは「ふ〜む、中国かぁ」と多少残念感は持ちつつも律儀に参観した。ちなみに2022年に訪問出来たのはポンペイとこちらの展示会の２回のみ。デジタル技術で紫禁城に「まるで実際に行っているような」という展示が目玉だったんですが、閑散とした人数にむしろ驚かされておりました。
　どうも現代ニッポン人の率直な気分が表現されているようですね。


English version⬇

Comparison of the attendance at the Tokyo National Museum's Special Exhibitions in FY2022
The Pompeii exhibition was very interesting and I wrote a series of in-depth articles about it on my blog, but the China exhibition, which I was able to visit, was very deserted. The Chinese exhibits, which I was able to visit, were deserted.

I have been writing almost every day on my blog, and it is essential for me to identify a certain theme, so I have been writing on a specific theme within the broad theme of people and their homes. I would like to write a "summary" of each theme, but I can't find the time (I cry). The "Ancient Mexico" section of the series is temporarily on hiatus today, as the Teotihuacan culture has come to an end.
　History and human culture are the main themes of the series. A house is a part of people's lives, and its relationship to the world of ideas is the most important area. In the end, human interest determines everything.
　In this context, I have been thinking about the exhibition themes at the Tokyo National Museum, which I often visit, as a barometer of "the fields of interest of modern people and their cultural aspects.
　Although Sapporo and Ueno are far from each other in Tokyo, I visit the museum when I have time because I have many opportunities to go on business trips.
　When I think about it, the variety of special exhibitions selected by museums, especially those that are "national" in nature, may reflect a cross-section of the contemporary Japanese consciousness. Furthermore, the "total number of visitors" to such special exhibitions may also express the way of thinking and frank awareness of contemporary Japanese people.
　With this in mind, I referred to the data of last year's special exhibition in 2022, as shown in the image above. Picking up the data on the number of visitors, we find the following. (in the order of the museum's exhibition display)
1 Tokyo National Museum's 150th Anniversary Special Exhibition: 351,153 visitors
2 Special exhibition commemorating the 50th anniversary of Japan-China diplomatic relations: 27,839 visitors
3 Ryukyu Special Exhibition: 50th Anniversary of the Return of Okinawa to Japan 90,395 visitors
4 Special Exhibition "Kuya Shonin and Rokuharamitsuji Temple" 146,085 visitors
5 Special Exhibition "Pompeii" 197,700 visitors
　Each exhibition has a slightly different length of time. The range is from a minimum of 48 days to a maximum of 70 days. Although there may be various conditions, such as calendar conflicts, it seems that the unit of time is generally two months.
　As one would expect, exhibitions such as "All About the Tokyo National Museum" are the most well attended. I also visited the "Pompeii Exhibition," which I mentioned in my blog as an ancient European living environment, because I was allowed to take pictures.
　The somewhat geeky exhibition "Kuya Shonin and Rokuharamitsuji Temple" also did well. Considering that Okinawa is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its reversion to Japan and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Japan, and that many of its citizens actually visit Okinawa for sightseeing, the theme itself may have been a handicap.
　The least successful of these was the special exhibition commemorating the 50th anniversary of Japan-China diplomatic relations. I was somewhat disappointed, saying, "Hmmm, China, huh? Incidentally, I was able to visit Pohnpei and this exhibition only twice in 2022. The main feature of the exhibition was the use of digital technology to make the Forbidden City "look like you are actually there," but I was rather surprised at the number of people who visited the deserted site.
　It seemed to express the frank mood of modern Japanese people.

【土偶的美感が一世風靡した社会か？ 古代メキシコ-7】

　古代メキシコで紀元前100年当時から紀元550年当時まで栄えた高地文明「テオティワカン」を見て来た。
　その中心施設「太陽のピラミッド」から出土した「死のディスク石彫」と呼ばれるのがいちばん上のもの。舌を出す頭蓋骨の周囲に放射状のモチーフを配している。鼻には穴が空き、ナイフを刺した表現とみられる。メソアメリカでは日没とは死を意味し、日の出は再生を意味するとされた。
　下の画像は宮殿建築から出土した香炉。香を焚く胴部と煙突、蓋からなる香炉。型作りのパーツを組み合わせた華美な装飾性が見られる。これは矢や楯などのモチーフから戦士の鎮魂の意味を込めた儀礼などに使われたモノと推定されている。
　こうした作品群、その作り手と社会の状況を想起すると、やはり日本の縄文社会が惹起される。

　これは片足ではなく両足を備えた遮光器土偶のレプリカ造形。
　わたしたち日本民族でも、たしかに存在した縄文社会の状況について、その社会の構造、倫理システムなどを十全に把握できているワケではない。だけれども、ネイティブな日本人らしさの根源部分にこういった造形を生み出すコアが存在していることはあきらかでしょう。
　そして、古代メキシコの人びとの造形感覚と人類普遍的な部分の共有を感じさせられる。先般、東京国立博物館展示では遮光器について、北方民族が白く輝く雪原風景のなかで視野を保守するためにその反射光の影響を緩和させる道具として、人類普遍的に開発されて、それを津軽で使っている例証ではないかという説が開陳されていた。そうだとすれば日本列島からさらにアリューシャンを超えベーリング海を渡ってアメリカ大陸に至った人類として、そうした精神性痕跡が共通しているのかも知れない。
　どちらも宇宙的で異星人的なオカルトを覚醒させるには十分すぎる（笑）。ひょっとして30,000前頃に東アジア列島を経由してアメリカ大陸にまで到達した人類の種族には、そのようなオカルト系の想像力の類縁性も濃厚に持っていたのかも知れない。
　死のディスクと遮光器土偶をつなぐこころのつながりの部分が人類のDNA情報解析の進展で明示的な根拠が示されていく可能性もあるかもしれない。そんな妄想を抱かせるほどに両者には共通するものを感じる。

　さて古代メキシコでもいちばん知名度の少ないテオティワカン文化を見て来たけれど、明日以降、よりポピュラーなマヤ・アステカについて見ていくことにします。だんだん日本史もより解明された段階になっていくので、比較文化も面白くなってくるのではないかと思っています。乞うご期待。


English version⬇

[A society dominated by the beauty of clay figurines? Ancient Mexico-7]
After the separation of the human race 30,000 years ago, the commonality of the sense of form appeals to us like a faraway "echo". Occultism may be the missing link. .......

I visited Teotihuacan, a highland civilization that flourished in ancient Mexico from 100 BC to 550 AD.
　The topmost one is called the "Death Disc Stone Carving" excavated from the Pyramid of the Sun, the central facility of Teotihuacan. Radial motifs are arranged around a skull with a tongue protruding. The nose has a hole in it, which is thought to represent a knife. In Mesoamerican culture, sunset meant death and sunrise meant rebirth.
　The image below shows an incense burner excavated from a palace building. The censer consists of a body, chimney, and lid for burning incense. It shows flamboyant decorative characteristics by combining molded parts. The motifs of arrows and shields suggest that it was used as a ritual object for the repose of the souls of warriors.
　When we recall these works, their makers, and the social context in which they were made, we are reminded of Japan's Jomon society.

This is a replica of a Shakugi Clay Figure with not one but two legs.
　Even we Japanese do not have a complete understanding of the structure and ethical system of the Jomon society that existed. However, it is clear that there is a core of native Japanese-ness that gives rise to these forms.
　It also makes us feel that the ancient Mexican people shared the same sense of formative arts and a universal part of humanity. Recently, at the Tokyo National Museum exhibition, a theory was put forward that shading devices were universally developed by northern peoples as tools to mitigate the effects of reflected light in order to maintain their field of vision in the shining white snowfield landscape, and that this is an example of their use in Tsugaru. If this is so, it is possible that the human race, which has crossed the Aleutians and the Bering Sea from the Japanese archipelago to the American continent, shares such traces of spirituality.
　Both are more than enough to awaken the cosmic and alien occult (laugh). Perhaps the human race that reached the Americas via the East Asian archipelago around 30,000 years ago also had a strong affinity for such occult imaginations.
　There may be a possibility that the mental link between the death disc and the light-shielding clay figurine will be explicitly evidenced by the progress of human DNA information analysis. I feel that there is enough in common between the two to make me have such a fantasy.

　Now that we have looked at the Teotihuacan culture, which is the least well-known culture in ancient Mexico, we will look at the more popular Maya Aztecs from tomorrow onward. As Japanese history is gradually becoming more understood, I believe that comparative culture will also become more interesting. Stay tuned.

【土偶VSテオティワカン人物像 古代メキシコ-6】

　人間・人体をどう表現するかというのは、有史以来の人類の大テーマだったでしょう。しかし非常に写実的に描かれたラスコー洞窟壁画などでは約40,000年前の頃の人類の主要な観察対象は狩猟の対象である動物群であり、同類としての人類に向けての描写葛藤を感じない。
　それが古代エジプトなどではファラオに対しての表現が中心的なテーマになってくる。そういう権力者の描写と合わせて群衆的に武人などが表現されるようになる。
　一方で日本列島では縄文期に始原を持つ土偶ではひたすら人物表現に向かって行っている。しかしエジプトのように王権などの権威への崇拝という方向は微塵も感じられない。そうであるのに、人物表現に向かっていく。それも写実的な方向で進化して行くのではなくむしろ呪術的な方向を感じる。
　太平洋を挟んで古代メキシコでは土偶とも対比されうるような人物造形が描かれている。かれらが生み出した造形にわたしのようにシンパシーを持つ人間には、土偶との相似的な制作心理が感じられる。
　表現技法であるとか、素材選択方法などで交流があったとはほぼ考えられないので、もし雰囲気が似ているとすれば、はるかなDNAのささやきのような部分での共感なのではないか。このブログシリーズで日本の古層の文化と古代メキシコを比較対照して見たいと思った動機はそんなものである気がする。
　上の像は、450-550年頃の「楯を持つ小像」。顔面装飾やペンダント、ベルト、楯など典型的テオティワカン様式。こうした戦士像は墳墓の副葬品としてはまったく出土せず、こどもの玩具説もあるという。その下の「嵐の神の壁画」は背負い籠と右手にトウモロコシを持っている。生産手段としては農耕が主体だったのだろう。またテオティワカンでは多くの建物が赤を中心とした多彩色の壁画で飾られ、都市空間を彩っていたと言われている。
　赤が人類の始原にも関わるような色彩感覚であるのは日本も同様だった。

　日本の土偶たちはたぶんテオティワカンよりも千年以上前に造形されたと推測できる。土偶もまた、副葬品というようには見なされていない。むしろ生まれてくる命、新生への祈りの対象であったという説もある。死よりも生への祈りが土偶の本質ではないかというのだ。
　女性を表現した土偶では豊かな下半身が象徴的に表現されていて、それは新生への期待感が普遍的な願いとして強く共感されていた様子を語ってくれる。人間自身が最大の生産手段であった時代、このことは切実な社会要請でもあっただろう。
　ヨーロッパ人種は比較的長く「狩猟採集」を経済基盤とし続けたけれど、日本列島社会では豊かな海岸環境によって漁労という生産手段が文化揺籃されたものだろう。一方、古代メキシコもまた、トウモロコシという基本食の栽培適地としての文化性が発展したのだとも思える。


English version⬇

Clay Figures vs. Teotihuacan Figures Ancient Mexico - 6
The settlement of Japanese society began with the abundant marine resources as the basic food source. Ancient Mexico, on the other hand, was based on corn cultivation and agriculture. Similarities in the starting point of expression. The similarities in the starting point of expression.

How to represent humans and the human body has probably been a major theme for mankind since the beginning of time. However, in the highly realistic Lascaux cave murals and other paintings from about 40,000 years ago, the main object of human observation was a group of animals that were the object of hunting, and we do not feel any depictive conflict toward humans as our own kind.
　In ancient Egypt and elsewhere, however, the central theme is the representation of the pharaohs. In ancient Egypt, the central theme of expression was against the pharaohs, and in conjunction with the portrayal of such powerful figures, warrior groups were also depicted.
　On the other hand, in the Japanese archipelago, clay figurines, which originated in the Jomon period, have been moving toward the representation of human figures. However, as in Egypt, there is not the slightest sense of worship of authority, such as kingship. Yet, they are still moving toward the expression of the human figure. The evolution is not in the direction of realism, but rather in the direction of magic.
　In ancient Mexico, across the Pacific Ocean, human figures are drawn in a manner that could be contrasted with clay figurines. For those of us who are sympathetic to the forms created by these artists, as I am, we can feel a similarity in the psychology of their work.
　It is almost inconceivable that there was any exchange in terms of expression techniques or material selection methods, so if there is a similarity in atmosphere, it is probably due to a whisper of DNA. I feel that is what motivated me to compare and contrast ancient Mexico with the ancient layer of Japanese culture in this blog series.
　The statue above is a "small statue with shield," circa 450-550. The face decoration, pendants, belt, and shield are typical of the Teotihuacan style. These warrior statues have not been found as burial accessories in tombs at all, and there is a theory that they were children's toys. The "Storm God Wall Painting" below it shows a man carrying a basket on his back and a corn cob in his right hand. Agriculture was probably the main means of production. It is also said that many buildings in Teotihuacan were decorated with colorful murals in red and other colors to decorate the urban space.
　The same is true of Japan, where red is a color sense that is related to the origin of humankind.

Japanese clay figurines were probably formed more than 1,000 years before Teotihuacan. Clay figurines are also not regarded as burial objects. Rather, some believe that they were objects of prayer for life to be born, for the new birth. It is said that the essence of clay figurines is to pray for life rather than death.
　Clay figurines representing women symbolically depict the abundant lower half of the body, which shows how the expectation of new life was strongly shared as a universal wish. At a time when man himself was the greatest means of production, this would have been an urgent social need.
　While European peoples continued to rely on "hunting and gathering" as their economic base for a relatively long time, the rich coastal environment of the Japanese archipelago probably provided a cultural cradle for fishing as a means of production. On the other hand, ancient Mexico also seems to have developed its culture as a suitable place to cultivate corn, a basic food.

【テオティワカンの動物偶像と八咫烏 古代メキシコ-5】

　古代メキシコの西暦紀元前100年前後から紀元後500年に栄えていたテオティワカンでは、宗教的ピラミッドなどからいろいろな動物をかたどった偶像が発見される。
　上の写真はそのなかでも展示会で目を見張らされた極彩色の「鳥形土器」。発見者によって「奇妙なアヒル」と名付けられた。はじめてこういう造形と遭遇したときの驚き感がよくわかる。貝などの華美な装飾を持った「容器」とされる。このテオティワカンは2000mを超える高地の宗教都市だというので、地元周辺からは貝などは産出されない。したがって、この内陸部とメキシコ湾岸部社会との交易を担った貝商人、というビジネスが成立していた可能性があり、かれらから副葬品として献上されたものではないかと解説されていた。被葬者への葬送として動物種に意味があったと推測される。
　その下の写真は「ヘビ型エキセントリック（両面加工石器）」と同じ用途を持った「ナイフ型エキセントリック」。テオティワカンの「月のピラミッド」からの出土品。エキセントリックとは、細かな剥離によって複雑なカタチを作った石器。埋葬墓からはこうした動物造形の副葬品が多量に出土するという。初源的自然信仰がかれらの文化の基本的特徴と思えるけれど、そういった動物を形象させて普遍的な「コトバ」コミュニケーションツールとして伝えたものかも知れない。
　ヘビを造形することで、なにか宗教的なメッセージ性をその道具に持たせたのではないか。

　ほぼ日本史での同時代としては神武東征という歴史譚が日本にはある。
　たいへん印象的な動物説話として、ヤタガラス神話がある。写真は熊野本宮大社の３本足のカラス彫像。３本の足を持つカラスとして描かれるようになったのは、中国神話に登場する３本足のカラス説話が朝鮮半島を経て日本に伝わったことの影響とされる。
　神武天皇は東方に天下を治める都を造ろうと大和に向かう。瀬戸内海を渡り難波から淀川を溯上、河内に入り大和に向かおうとしたが、大和の豪族のナガスネビコの迎撃にあい敗戦、撤退。神武はこの敗戦を太陽女神アマテラスの子孫であるにもかかわらず太陽に向かって、西から東に向いて戦ったためと考え、紀伊半島を南に迂回して熊野から北上して大和に侵入することを目指す。
　そのときに天から舞い降りたヤタガラスが、熊野の山中を迷いなく進軍させて吉野川のほとりにたどりついたのだとされる。日本の説話に残る動物譚としてはこのヤタガラス神話が白眉だろう。
　動物にある種の呪術的な意味を持たせ権威装飾の物語性を付与させるという手法。日本民族の事例から考えれば、古代メキシコでも同様の意味合いが付与されていると思える。古代ローマでも皇帝の始祖はオオカミに育てられたという神話。たぶんそのような経緯が古代メキシコでもあったに違いない。
　それにしてもこの奇妙なアヒルの始原的なユーモア感覚は卓越している。深く心に突き刺さってアタマから離れない（笑）。


English version⬇

Animal Idols and Yatagarasu at Teotihuacan, Ancient Mexico - 5
Strange ducks and snakes. Animal symbolism adorns the discourse. Ancient Mexico is characterized by an outstanding sense of modeling. Can the yatagarasu barely compete with them?

In Teotihuacan, which flourished in ancient Mexico from around 100 B.C. to 500 A.D., idols in the shape of various animals have been found in religious pyramids and other structures.
　The photo above shows one of the most eye-catching finds at the exhibition, an extremely colored "bird-shaped" earthenware vessel. It was named "strange duck" by the discoverer. I can understand the sense of surprise when one encounters such a form for the first time. It is believed to be a "vessel" with ornate decorations such as shells. Teotihuacan is said to be a religious city at a high altitude of over 2,000 meters, so shells are not produced in the local area. Therefore, it is possible that a business of shell merchants, who were in charge of trade between the inland area and the Gulf Coast society, was established, and that these vessels were offered as burial accessories by these merchants. It is assumed that the animal species had a meaning as a funerary offering to the deceased.
　The photo below shows a "knife-shaped eccentric" that had the same purpose as the "snake-shaped eccentric (two-sided processed stone tool). Excavated from the "Pyramid of the Moon" at Teotihuacan. Eccentric is a stone tool with a complex shape created by fine peeling. It is said that a large amount of such animal-shaped artifacts have been excavated from burial tombs. While primordial nature beliefs seem to be a fundamental characteristic of their culture, it is possible that they used such animal figures as universal "vocabulary" communication tools.
　By modeling snakes, they may have given the tools some kind of religious message.

Japan has a historical tale of the Jinmu expedition, which is almost contemporaneous with Japanese history.
　One of the most impressive animal tales is the myth of the raven. The three-legged raven, depicted in the three-legged raven statue at Kumano Hongu Taisha Shrine, is said to have been inspired by the three-legged raven myths of Chinese mythology, which came to Japan via the Korean Peninsula.
　Emperor Jinmu headed for Yamato in an attempt to build a capital to rule the country in the east. He crossed the Seto Inland Sea, went up the Yodo River from Namba, entered Kawachi, and attempted to go to Yamato, but was defeated and retreated when he was intercepted by Nagasunebiko, a powerful Yamato tribe. Jinmu attributed this defeat to the fact that although he was a descendant of the sun goddess Amaterasu, he fought from the west to the east, facing the sun, and thus he sought to invade Yamato by detouring southward through the Kii Peninsula and then northward from Kumano.
　It is said that a raven descended from the heavens at that time and marched without hesitation through the mountains of Kumano to reach the banks of the Yoshino River. The myth of the raven is probably the most famous animal tale in Japanese folklore.
　The technique of giving animals a kind of magical meaning and narrative of authority and ornamentation. In the case of the Japanese people, it is likely that similar meanings were given to animals in ancient Mexico as well. In ancient Rome, the myth that the founder of the emperor was raised by wolves. Perhaps such a story must have existed in ancient Mexico as well.
　Still, the primordial sense of humor of this strange duck is outstanding. It sticks deeply in my mind and won't leave my head (laughs).