9781422286814

The Olmecs

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sneers, and they sometimes had two large fangs. Their heads were misshapen and often had large splits in them. The human-jaguars seem to be neither male nor female. The human-jaguar was not the only Olmec god. Archeologists have also found images of feathered serpents, harpy eagles, and sharks. The Olmecs probably worshiped all these animals. They may also have worshiped a fire god and a corn god. In Mexican folklore, the jaguar is often associated with Tlaloc, the god of rain and fertility. These masks, re-creations of masks created by the Olmecs, portray a hybrid between a jaguar and a human infant. The Olmec masks often showed the animal crying or snarling with an open mouth.