Tlalcoyote (badger) as a dual supernatural entity

The sculpture is identified as a badger. In an 18th century glossary the Jesuit Francisco Xavier Clavijero describes the tlalcoyotl as a "quadruped of size similar to a medium dog, that lives under the ground", according to the Great Nahuatl Dictionary, of the UNAM. The animal is a short-tailed mammal with dense, thick fur that almost reaches the ground and gives the impression of short legs; It is a carnivore and builds burrows to rest, store food and, in the case of females, to have young. It is also known as a tejon; the scientific name of the species is Taxidea taxus, while the subspecies that inhabits Mexico is called berlandieri. Their fur is black and white in alternate bands, the central one being the one that goes from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail; in this alternation the eyes are surrounded by dark fur. This color pattern was recreated in the image at hand. In its schematic appearance, the yellowish-white engobe-covered surface was painted in bands of red in the eye areas, around the neck, the underside down to the legs, and a central stripe can clearly be seen on the top of the torso.  

One extremely striking feature is that a head is projected on each side of the torso on its vertical axis, so we are facing a fantastic representation, which from my perspective is directly linked to the dual symbolic values that were attributed to it in the Mesoamerican universe.  

In the Nahuatl area of the Central Highlands, the tlalcoyote (badger) is associated with the concept of "xolotl," which in its facet of deity constitutes the twin brother of Quetzalcoatl; both symbolize Venus, the first as the evening star and the second as the morning star. The best-known representation of Xolotl is as a dog, and from linguistics Karen Dakin emphasizes its qualities, in particular I return to that of a god who transforms itself into various double entities; thus, the translation of the term xolotl is that of an animal "that has a split.”  

The dog has been widely studied and it is known that in the Mesoamerican taxonomic system rooted in a sophisticated knowledge of nature, it was regarded as an animal typical of the underworld of the cosmos; therefore, its nocturnal, aquatic, and feminine qualities stood out. On the other hand, the tlalcoyote has been addressed very briefly; however, it seems possible to extend its association with the idea of xolotl. In the same linguistic field, the word tlalcoyotl implies its connection with canines, since it can be understood as “ground coyote.” The appearance of the tlalcoyote bears some resemblance to that of dogs with hair, and its habits also refer to canines. Tlalcoyotes are most active at night. Their front legs have large claws and the hind legs have partially webbed toes; therefore, they are good swimmers and it has already been mentioned that they build burrows. Thus, its habitats are found in underground spaces, where it can feed on rodents. In cultural it is surely an animal that was associated with the underworld.  

Contrary to what traditionally has been thought about the Shaft Tomb Culture, whose base covered an extensive territory in ancient western Mexico, I have argued that it was a fully Mesoamerican development, in the dynamics of its historical process and by participating in building its complex systems of thought. This artistic image of the tlalcoyote, created in a pottery workshop used to working in the San Sebastian style, emphasized the dual character attributed to the animal, both by the central red strip that divides its body in half, and by the two heads that show and underline the ideological values that were conferred to it in the spheres of the mythical, the sacred, and the supernatural.