CAMAZOTZ
“In the Quiché Popol Vuh, the Underworld Camazotz or “death bat,” cuts off the head of the Hero Twin, hunahpu.”
Mary Miller & Karl Taube, The Gods and Symbols Of Ancient Mexico and the Maya
“Camazotz; A vampire bat god of the Quiché Maya in Guatemala. They Maya considered him a terrible god who served death and ruled twilight. He lived in the bloody caverns and other dark places that people tried to avoid for fear of disturbing him.”
Ann Bingham & Jeremy Roberts, South and Meso-American Mythology A to Z
“He is said to have a leaf-like nose, an anthropomorphized bat whose name evoked fear of darkness and the unknown.”
Sebastian Berg, Maya Mythology
“In the Quiché Popol Vuh, the Underworld Camazotz or “death bat,” cuts off the head of the Hero Twin, hunahpu.”
Mary Miller & Karl Taube, The Gods and Symbols Of Ancient Mexico and the Maya
“Camazotz; A vampire bat god of the Quiché Maya in Guatemala. They Maya considered him a terrible god who served death and ruled twilight. He lived in the bloody caverns and other dark places that people tried to avoid for fear of disturbing him.”
Ann Bingham & Jeremy Roberts, South and Meso-American Mythology A to Z
“He is said to have a leaf-like nose, an anthropomorphized bat whose name evoked fear of darkness and the unknown.”
Sebastian Berg, Maya Mythology
Camazotz (which translates to "death bat" in K'iche') is the bat god of the underworld in the Popul Vuh. The Hero Twins, Hunahpu and Xbalanque, encounter him on their epic journey through Xibalba. At one point, Camazotz's razor sharp wing cuts off Hunahpu's head, which is then carried off the be used in a ball game!
Camazotz, may have seeped into popular culture through Mayan sources but it seems his origin was actually even earlier. A Zapotec tribe in Oaxaca first mentioned Camozotz in 100 CE. He was described as an anthropomorphic leaf-nosed bat and many speculate that the actual species of leaf-nose was the vampire bat. I chose a completely invented bat species for my version but still within the realm of possibility (bat faces and noses get really wild).
Camazotz, may have seeped into popular culture through Mayan sources but it seems his origin was actually even earlier. A Zapotec tribe in Oaxaca first mentioned Camozotz in 100 CE. He was described as an anthropomorphic leaf-nosed bat and many speculate that the actual species of leaf-nose was the vampire bat. I chose a completely invented bat species for my version but still within the realm of possibility (bat faces and noses get really wild).
This is a full body version of a design I did in a piece from way back in 2012. The piece features way more of the actual story; the Hero Twins themselves, the one with a gourd instead of a head, the coati and catfish they turn into and their father's severed head in the trees.
This piece was part of a show was a benefit I organized with Jeanne D'Angelo called Empty Night Skies. It was an attempt to raise awareness of white nose syndrome and raise funds for Bat Conservation International.
"White-nose syndrome (WNS) is a disease that affects hibernating bats and is caused by a fungus, Pseudogymnoascus destructans, or Pd for short. Sometimes Pd looks like a white fuzz on bats’ faces, which is how the disease got its name. Pd grows in cold, dark and damp places. It attacks the bare skin of bats while they’re hibernating in a relatively inactive state. As it grows, Pd causes changes in bats that make them become active more than usual and burn up fat they need to survive the winter. Bats with white-nose syndrome may do strange things like fly outside in the daytime in the winter."
-White Nose Syndrome Response Team
This piece was part of a show was a benefit I organized with Jeanne D'Angelo called Empty Night Skies. It was an attempt to raise awareness of white nose syndrome and raise funds for Bat Conservation International.
"White-nose syndrome (WNS) is a disease that affects hibernating bats and is caused by a fungus, Pseudogymnoascus destructans, or Pd for short. Sometimes Pd looks like a white fuzz on bats’ faces, which is how the disease got its name. Pd grows in cold, dark and damp places. It attacks the bare skin of bats while they’re hibernating in a relatively inactive state. As it grows, Pd causes changes in bats that make them become active more than usual and burn up fat they need to survive the winter. Bats with white-nose syndrome may do strange things like fly outside in the daytime in the winter."
-White Nose Syndrome Response Team
This is disastrous news for bats. And while I find them adorable I think many people find them disgusting so not much attention is paid to this issue. But bats are enormously helpful to our world. They can help control the populations of beetles, moths, leafhoppers and more importantly, mosquitos. Please consider donating to Bat Conservation International.
On a lighter note, I had a very funny encounter with some bats when I was in Colombia in 2010. Jeanne and I were staying in Tayrona National Park and decided to see if we could spot some nocturnal wildlife. We could hear squeaks and see lightning-fast silhouettes against the early night sky. So I started flashing photos on my digital camera (it was 2010). We actually got some cool shots of bats! And then we noticed they were getting closer and closer. Then I realized my camera flash was charging with a high pitched whir! The bats were getting closer to see what the noise was!
Ok, tomorrow's entry is a familiar one! I hope you like it.
On a lighter note, I had a very funny encounter with some bats when I was in Colombia in 2010. Jeanne and I were staying in Tayrona National Park and decided to see if we could spot some nocturnal wildlife. We could hear squeaks and see lightning-fast silhouettes against the early night sky. So I started flashing photos on my digital camera (it was 2010). We actually got some cool shots of bats! And then we noticed they were getting closer and closer. Then I realized my camera flash was charging with a high pitched whir! The bats were getting closer to see what the noise was!
Ok, tomorrow's entry is a familiar one! I hope you like it.
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