Feathered Serpent

In Central American mythology and religion, there's a vibrant tradition of Quetzalcoatl, or the Feathered Serpent (while Quetzalcoatl was a human or group of humans, he was named after the "feathered serpent"). Did such a flying reptile ever exist? Biologists say yes—pterosaurs or pteranodons, but they became extinct millions of years ago. Or did they? And could they provide a possible explanation for some chupacabra sightings?

According to famed cryptozoologist Loren Coleman in his book "Mysterious America," in the early 1970s, a video showing a pterodactyl flying over the Yucatan Peninsula was widely circulated. Mayan ruins in the northeastern state of Vera Cruz, Mexico, contain carvings depicting something resembling pteranodons.

In its November 1968 issue, Science Digest published an article titled "Serpent-Bird of the Mayans," about a pteranodon supposedly carved on the wall of a pyramid at Tajin. The article states: "An ancient Mayan bas-relief depicting a peculiar bird with reptilian features has been discovered at Totonacapan in the northeastern state of Veracruz, Mexico. The discoverer, Mexican archaeologist and journalist Jose Diaz-Bolio, says there is evidence that the bas-relief depicting the serpent-bird on the ruins of Tajin is not merely a product of Mayan fantasy, but a realistic representation of an animal that lived during the period of the ancient Mayan civilization—1,000 to 5,000 years ago."

"If such serpentine birds truly existed alongside the Mayan culture, the relief represents a surprising evolutionary oddity. Animals with such features are believed to have become extinct 130 million years ago. Archaeornis and the Archaeopteryx—which this sculpture more or less resembles—were flying reptiles that became extinct during the Mesozoic."

"Since, according to current knowledge, man appeared on the scene about one million years ago, there is a discrepancy of 129 million years. This pair (the Mayans and the serpent bird) should never have met. However, Jose Diaz-Bolio continues his investigation and says he knows of a snake bird skull that could provide a clue to solving the mystery once it is identified."

The idea that the Mayan "feathered serpent" actually existed has been popular for many years. The concept of this creature as a flying, long-necked reptile was explored in the 1946 film "The Flying Serpent," starring George Zucco, and in the more recent David Carradine film "Q - The Winged Serpent" from 1982. "Q" stands for Mayan "Quetzalcoatl," meaning "feathered serpent." While these "B" films made little impression on audiences, they demonstrate that the idea of ​​flying serpents—also called pteranodons—is a popular belief along the Mexican border.

A sketch allegedly based on a lost photo from Tombstone.