The world views of all of the ancient Mesoamerican societies had strong similarities, which shouldn't be too much of a surprise to any of us. Beginning with preclassic Olmec civilization, the earth was perceived as a square, with four cardinal directions and a central point.
The Great Turtle at Quirigua 1883. B/w copy negative, 4 x 5in (10.2 x 12.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Alfred P. Maudslay. No known copyright restrictions. Collection of the Brooklyn Museum
Many Mesoamericans perceived the world as a turtle or a caiman, floating on a primordial sea. This distinctive image made its way onto many sculptures and codexes, including this image of the Great Turtle, a sculpture recorded at Quirigua by Alfred P. Maudslay in 1883.
Contributing writer Nicoletta Maestri's latest article is on the Mesoamerican World View, and in it she describes the many similarities that linger throughout Mesoamerican cultures, even today.
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