Dogs in Mesoamerica facts for kids

Dogs were very important to ancient people in Mesoamerica (a region in Central America and Mexico) long before Europeans arrived. We know this from old artifacts, pictures, and stories from the 1500s. In Central Mexico, there were three main types of dogs: the medium-sized furry dog (called itzcuintli), the medium-sized hairless dog (called xoloitzcuintli), and a short-legged dog (called tlalchichi) from Colima that is now extinct. Besides being companions, dogs were also used for food and in special ceremonies. For example, in the ancient city of Teotihuacan, about 10% of all the meat people ate was dog meat.

Dogs in Ancient Maya Life

The ancient Maya people, who lived across southern Mexico and Central America, used domesticated dogs every day. Dogs were a source of food, helped with hunting, and played a role in their religious and spiritual traditions.

Finding Evidence of Ancient Dogs

Scientists have found dog remains in Maya sites that date back to very old times, as early as 1200 BCE. These remains have been discovered in ancient trash piles (called middens), spread out in old yards, and near places where sacrifices were made. Sometimes it's hard to tell dog bones apart from other small animal bones because they were found mixed together. In a place called Colha, Belize, more dog foot bones and teeth were found than any other dog body part.

How Ancient Maya Used Dogs

The way dogs were used changed over time and in different places. However, people living near the coast in the Maya area relied more on dogs. This was because dogs were always available as a source of protein and could have puppies quickly. Raising dogs didn't take much effort. Fish and other hunted animals were not as dependable as dogs for food, and it took more time and energy to catch them.

It's not completely clear if dogs were always used as food or if their role changed to become more of a religious symbol over time. Besides being a meal, dogs also helped people hunt and travel. They also acted as scavengers, cleaning up scraps around the home.

Dogs as Food Source

During parts of the Preclassic and Early Classic periods (from 1200 BCE to 250 CE), dogs in Cuello, Belize, were raised and killed when they were about one year old. Their bones showed they were fully grown but didn't have the usual wear and tear of older dogs. No puppy remains were found. Dogs were fed maize (corn) until they were fat enough to be eaten.

In the Yucatán region during the Preclassic period, dogs were not the main meat source, but old findings show they were an important part of the Maya diet. For example, at the Colha site, white-tailed deer provided up to half of the meat for the Maya. Wealthy Maya people would serve dogs at special feasts. Dogs were either cooked in a stew or burned in a special ceremony. Their bones were chopped, broken, crushed, and boiled to get out the marrow inside.

What Dogs Ate

Besides maize, ancient Maya dogs also ate household scraps. There's no sign that dogs had any special diet. Even today, the Yucatec Maya people still talk about their ancestors eating dogs. They continue the tradition of feeding dogs maize by giving them six to eight tortillas every day.

Types of Dogs

Today, the Maya people have nine different words for "dog," but not all of them mean a separate breed. In the 1500s, Spanish explorers in Mérida, Yucatán, wrote that dogs were raised locally in pens, fed maize, and sold at markets. Another type of dog known to the Maya was the hairless xoloitzcuintli. However, it's hard to identify specific dog breeds just from old bones.

Dogs in Maya Culture and Beliefs

Dogs in Maya Stories

In the Popol Vuh, which is the creation story of the K'iche' Maya, dogs played important roles. For example, when the gods first tried to create humans out of wood, these wooden people had no feelings and didn't feed their dogs. Because of this, the dogs got angry and destroyed them. The lesson from this story is that "civilized" Maya people make sure their dogs are well-fed with good human food like maize.

When dogs were used in special ceremonies, it had a double meaning: people showed respect to the dog by feeding it maize, which represented humans. In the Popol Vuh, humans themselves were made from maize by the gods.

Another story in the Popol Vuh tells how the Hero Twins sacrificed a dog that belonged to the Lords of the Underworld (also known as Xibalba). After the dog died, the Hero Twins brought it back to life. The Lords were so amazed that they asked the twins to sacrifice and bring them back to life too. But the Hero Twins sacrificed the Lords of Xibalba and did not bring them back. This allowed humans to live on Earth. This story connected dogs with new beginnings and human life. Dogs were also linked to death and were believed to guide people into the Underworld. They represented fire and were seen as protectors of the home, both important parts of Maya life.

Dog Ceremonies and Burials

Dogs were used in many situations for special ceremonies or burials. Dog ceremonies were important for political events, like starting new religious centers. There's also proof of dog burials in Cozumel for administrative purposes. Dogs were linked to "new beginnings" and were sacrificed instead of humans during New Year ceremonies. Dogs with spots that looked like the color of cacao (chocolate beans) were sacrificed during cacao rituals because cacao was very important for the economy. Places linked to fertility (making things grow) and ancestor worship (honoring ancestors) also have dog burials. Dogs were found buried next to humans in graves and in royal homes, probably to guide their owners to the afterlife.

Dogs in Maya Art

In Maya art, dogs are shown in different roles and in various forms. They appear in scenes from the Popol Vuh or in burial processions. The Maya Vase Database shows a great example of a possible funeral procession on a painted vase, K5534. The dog standing below the main noble's palanquin (a covered couch carried by people) might be guiding its owner to Xibalba. In picture K555, another vase painting shows a scene from the Popol Vuh with a dog asking Itzamná to return to Xibalba. Besides paintings, artists also made clay figures that looked like dogs, K8235.