[Aztlan] God L's tobacco

[Jorge Pérez de Lara]

Johanne,

Without seeing the actual image you are referring to, there is a  
chance I may be wrong, but from your description, the watercolor you  
bought is probably the very famous image of (yes) God L smoking a fat  
cigar, which used to be on the outer jambs of the shrine inside the  
Temple of the Cross (not the Foliated Cross). Among souvenir peddlers  
in Palenque and in the old guide literature, the image is known as "El  
Fumador" ("The Smoker"), but it is in fact one of the best depictions  
of a full-bodied God L, shown not only with his jaguar pelt cloak, but  
also with his characteristic hat, fringed with the characteristic  
black-on-white feathers (and even the head) of the Muan bird.

Jorge


On Nov 8, 2009, at 12:58 PM, Johanne Tournier wrote:

> Hi, Karen -
>
> I can't comment on your idea of the practicality of cigar-smoking on a
> journey; I'll leave that to other experts. But - a few years ago I  
> bought a
> modern watercolor on bark paper of a god smoking a cigar - I think I  
> got it
> in the Popul Vuh Museum in Guatemala City, but it says it's from the  
> Temple
> of the Foliated Cross; that would be Palenque of course. I  
> understood it to
> depict Itzamna. He is wearing an elaborate headdress and has a cloak  
> made of
> jaguar-skin. So my question of course is - does the fact that he's  
> smoking
> mean that it must be God L? Was Itzamna also sometimes depicted with a
> cigar?
>
> I could scan the painting and send it to you if it would be helpful.
>
> Thanks for your help!
>
> Johanne