7. The statue of Pachamama exhibits a variant of pu where the upper hole seems to be closed. The spring path of Sun begins at the temple (or at the ear hole) of the central beast - looking like a hippopotamus - and it then leads obliquely downwards ending in a great 'hole':
Maybe the path of Sun is beginning with a 'closed fist' - all 'fingers' are still intact and nothing has as yet been counted. At the other end there is a 'zero', nothing is left and all has been counted. Fish heads are visbile close to the bottom hole, but otherwise there are predominatly signs of fire. At front in the headgear is an eagle's head with a single-rimmed eye. Another such is hanging down at the back of her head. I guess the 'hippopotamus' is a female. At any rate she has her mouth open as a creature of spring should. In order to compare we can take a quick look at a drawing of a hippopotamus from Egypt:
According to Wilkinson (from where I have copied this picture) the hippopotamus was feared in ancient Egypt because of its appetite, the beast ate and trampled down and was a manifestation of disorder. |
