The Pre-Olmec Seal: 3 Ahau (Ajaw)

On December 7, 2002. in the World and Nation section of the Austin-American Statesman of Austin, Texas, there was an article, by Thomas H. Maugh II, entitled: "Seal bears Americas' earliest writing".

The image that was included with that article is noted here The image is found on a roller seal, which when painted could be rolled down a cloth or paper for a color impression. What it was actually used for is unknown.

For some unknown reason, the images on the seal were identified as "3 Ahau." The only elements on the stone that can be associated with the number three are the three feathers on the tail and on each wing. The "ahau" concept does not appear to be there at all. However, there are three stars, thought to be the numbers, but may possibly refer to the Three Hearth Stones of the Maya archaeoastronomy lore.

However, what is there is just as interesting. By changing the orientation, one finds that there is a great bird spewing out of its beak, one: the eye of a dragon with fire along side of it and two: a secondary eye that may be the eye of Tlaloc, he who threw down fire-rain and stone, during the flight of Quetzalcoatl, the serpent sun of the Aztec sky; Or Kukulkan, he of the Maya skies.

Here again, one has another version of the dragon-bird that took over the men-of-the-earth "serpent" or "cave") peoples government by presenting a great fire-rain-stone display. This display of fire power probably frightened many natives into submission, even before they became aware of the civilizing efforts of Kukulkan and his emissaries on earth.

Pacal, whose tomb is in Palenque, had a son who appears to be the first major governor at the young age of five or six or the change-over, from the serpent people's government to the K'awi'l, "fire brand in the forehead" government brought by the great bird in the sky, the Quetzalcoatl sky serpent.>

Why the Quetzal and the coatl? The quetzal is an interesting bird. During its mating dance, its display of endurance and bravery is indicated duriing his mating dance. He flys as high as is possible for him and then lummets to earth in front of his intended mate. Just before hitting the ground, though he pulls out of his dive and comes to a breathless stop in front of the other bird.

If she was pleased with his efforts, she will invite him to accompany her in nestbuilding on a high tree branch. If she is not pleased, she will fly away.

The story of the death star, found in "The Birth of the Fifth Sun" by Sahagún specifically states that Tecuiçiztecatl, as the moon who followed Nanahuatzin, who had become the sun, came much too close to earth. A human quickly took a rabbit and threw it at Tecuiçiztecatl's face. And that is why we see the form of the rabbit in the moon today.

The coatl (serpent) is an easy one to imagine as a sky element. A comet appeared to be a fire serpent in the sky. In medieval times, when the jars of fire were tossed through the air at the invading armies, they, too, appeared to be fire serpents in the sky. The stinging and burning of the droplets of oil from the jars or tektites from the comet felt much like serpent fang bites or, as the Maya, believed, bee stings from above.

Mankind has very few images around the world to describe such things. A flying bird, a flying serpent, rain (as tears from the eyes) that are of fire, tektites, as obsidian nails of a god in the sky. Once we realize this, we can decipher many of the myths around the world, not only of the Olmecs, or the Maya.