Standing Dog

This portly dog is probably a "techichi," a breed of hairless canine. Physical details, from the alert posture of the ears and tail to the wrinkles at the corners of the mouth, are evidence of the artist’s close observation. Numerous legends from ancient Mesoamerica suggest that dogs were companions of the dead on their journeys to the afterlife, making the inclusion of such sculptures in tombs understandable. However, fattened dogs were also considered edible, so the sculpture may have represented food for the afterlife just as much as companionship.