Fragment of a Cotzumalguapa-style carved stela, showing a skeletal monkey dancing with a serpent. Feet and hands with all the fingers are represented, as well as genitalia and hanging intestines, which also appear in other examples of this style.

“This monument represents a skeletal monkey in left profile dancing with a snake approximately 1.50m long, whose head is in front of the skull of the represented character. The theme of the monument is not common, although there are several depictions of monkeys, but there are no other monuments with this theme and even less where the monkey is associated with the serpent.

The image has some characteristic features of the Cotzumalguapa style, such as the way of representing the feet and hands, with all the fingers visible, and the representation of genitalia, a common feature in animal imagery. It is worth mentioning that the ventral scales of the snake can be seen, as well as the head delimited from the body, so it can be associated with the representation of a viper, capable of causing the death of the main character” (Garzona, 2014).

Height: 80 cm
Width: 61 cm
Thikness: 20 cm

On loan to the Miraflores Museum, Guatemala city (2009 to September 26, 2018)

* Garzona, Sergio. 2014. “The Representations of the Viperidae Family in the Archeology of Guatemala: Species represented and their meaning.” Thesis presented for the academic degree of Bachelor of Archeology. University of San Carlos of Guatemala.

* “Miraflores exhibits the Collection of La Ruta Maya”. Siglo XXI newspaper. Wednesday June 24, 2009. Page 8.