The Eagle, The Serpent, and the Water Drops: Assyrian, Mayan, Moche and Aztec Depictions of Water

Drops

Clifford C. Richey No e!"er #$%& 'Addition %%(%)(%&*

It might be helpful to refer to: http://www.scribd.com/doc/125076415/Uni ers!l"#rehistoric"$epicted"%ign"&!ngu!ge when re!ding this p!per !s it e'pl!ins the use of (orm) Im!ger*) +esture signs) %t!nce) !llusion !nd position !s used in composing gl*phs.

Illustration 1: Assyrian Culture: Eagle Holding a Water-drop

Illustration 2: Color Codes Water Drops

,he %t!nding -!gle .the arising Sun/. ,he -!gle is holding ! 0!ter $rop ) a particle of water .! gesture sign indic!ting held/. ,he 1rm .a warrior of the %un/ !nd 2!nd .a steward of the Sun or a sun-priest/ held in the water-particle. 3ther 0!ter $rops c!n be found on the &imbs of the (igure th!t indic!te b* the &egs/(eet, a long journey of the water-particle !nd on the 1rm telling us th!t the w!rrior is p!rt of the w!ter"p!rticle. ,he (igure h!s wh!t !ppe!rs to be ! cl!* pot held b* ! cord. %uch essels were used b* m!n* !ncient cultures !s ! met!phor for the e!rth !s ! essel or cont!iner of w!ter. 1g!in) the 2!nd is in the gesture sign for held) held in the earthen vessel. ,he conceptu!l rel!tionship between the %un !nd the 0!ter $rop is more cle!rl* e'pressed b* ! simil!r depiction of !n -!gle !nd ! w!ter drop below.

Illustration 3: Mayan Eagle Licking a Water Drop

Illustration : Color Coded

Illustr!tion 4 shows !nd -!gle .the daytime Sun/ holding ! 0!ter $rop .a particle of water/ within its .*ellow/ 4l!ws .the -!gle5s 1rm !nd 2!nd/. .!n !llusion to the 1rm !nd 2!nd of the %un/. ,he 1rm .a warrior/ !nd the 2!nd .a steward of the Sun or Sun-priest/ me!ning th!t the warrior-priest is held .! gesture sign/ within the water particle. ,he .or!nge/ -*e of the %un represents) Venus !s w!s determined in e!rlier compositions. (urther the ,ongue is ! .t!n/ %e ered (inger .indic!ting) the one !nd the direction) here/. ,he (inger is position!ll* within the 6outh .a water-source/. ,he 6outh is formed from the 789 sh!ped gesture sign for an opening. ,he met!phor) in terms of the %cene) is one rel!ted to the e !por!tion of w!ter !s the %un lic:s up or e!ts the w!ter.

Illustration $: A Leader Wit%in a Water Drop

Illustration &: A 'eru(ian )o*

Illustr!tion 5 shows ! depiction of ! 0!ter $rop .a particle of water/ with ! (igure of) perh!ps) ! &e!der) position!ll*) within it. ,he &e!der is holding two st!ffs th!t effecti el* pl!ce him in the 4enter. 1lthough not er* cle!r the 2e!d of the (igure is ! 4ircle .the one, his location/. ,he 4ircle is di ided into Upper .the upper-world/ !nd &ower 2!l es .the under-world/. ,he &ower"2!lf is $!r:er in tone th!n the Upper"2!lf indic!ting the darkness of the under-world. ;elow the (igure5s (!ce .his appearance/ is the 2e!d of ! (o' .the wonder) or cleverness/.

Illustration !: A"tec #erpent

Illustration +: Color Coded ,he %erpent is the sign for ! current or stream of water. ,he .blue/ Undul!ting &ines !re the gesture sign for ! turning motion or mo ement. ;ec!use the (orm of the %erpent w!s m!de of $ouble &ines this indic!tes th!t it is hidden or unseen. <orm!ll* the %erpent5s ;od* would be the simple Undul!ting &ine for motion but in this c!se the sign w!s pinched together in order to cre!te (i e .at the cosmological center/ 0!ter $rops .particles of water/ th!t were position!ll* above and below !s well !s h! ing ! %t!nce of heading upwards and downward. ,he %erpent is ,wo 2e!ded indic!ting th!t it is 2e!ded in ,wo $irections. In gesture signing the &eft h!nd indic!tes the east !nd the =ight h!nd indic!tes the +est reg!rdless of the !ctu!l ph*sic!l directions. ,he (!ce of the %erpent .her appearance) !s she is in the dom!in of the e!rth"fem!le. ,hus the %erpent) the stream of water, !ppe!rs in the e!st !nd west. ,he ,ur>uoise color of the %erpent is !n !ddition!l 4ue !s to its being composed of w!ter. The Serpent, A strea! of "l,e +ater, ,nseen, t,rning, at The center, The +ater particles. -eading, .p+ards and do+n+ard,

Illustration ,: Color Coded 2owe er wh!t is of the most signific!nce is the .gold/ -*e !ppe!ring in the -!st !nd 0est. ,he +olden -*e is the -*e of the %un) 8enus which m!:es its c*clic!l !ppe!r!nce in the e!st !nd west. ,he -*ebrow of the %erpent .*ellow !nd t!n/ w!s composed in the (orm of ! ,!dpole .a changeling/. ,he (orm w!s composed of two signs) the .*ellow/ 4ircle .the one, his location/ !nd ! .t!n/ %e ered (inger indic!ting ! direction) here) !t the 6outh of the %erpent (a water source/. ,he (inger is !ligned with ! .green/ 8ertic!l rect!ngle .a vertical-place of height !nd depth/. ,he (inger5s ,ip rests upon the .pin:/ $ouble &ined 7U9 sh!ped (orm .the unseen turning-place/ of the 6outh .the water source). ,he ,eeth of the %erpent represent) the ones that chews things up. ,he %erpent5s (!ngs !re !lso ,wo (inger5s) the two together) positioned !s above and below. ,he =ows of ,eeth compose the ?ig@!g sign for) water. ,he %erpent5s <ose !lludes to the <ostrils !s holes. ,he <ostrils !re in the form .red/ of the ,ri!ngul!r sh!pe indic!ting the earth female positioned, below, the sign of the 2!lf"circle th!t represents the upper-side or upper-world. <e't to the <ose is ! series of .red/ (i e $ots in the (orm of the sign for) arising. he number (i e !ssoci!tes the four directions plus one in the middle or the center. ,he $ots represent moisture !nd the* arise from the .pin:/ outline of the 6outh) the water-source. (in!ll* there !re two sm!ll .red/ 2ori@ont!l"=ect!ngles th!t indic!te. the hori!ontal-places, position!ll*, above and below.

Illustration 1-: Color Coded he changeling, he one, his location, he "olden #ye, he #ye of the Sun, (Venus), $ere, %n the side, of & vertical place, &t he water-source. urning, 'nseen, he ones that chew up things, he water, &bove and below, he two together, &bove and below, he dual holes, he earth-female, (elow, he upper world, &bove. )rom the water source, he moisture arises, to he upper world, he hori!ontal places &bove and below.