Stolen Avanyu (07_038_003_026MDL)

3D Model

To Tewa people, Avanyu is a horned serpent deity linked to flowing rivers, irrigation, and rain. Horned serpents are an old deity seen throughout the Southwest and eastern Great Basin for millenia. In later times, they also came to be linked to the Feathered Serpent (Quetzalcoatl) from Mesoamerica, although evidence suggests that horned serpents developed locally. This example was removed from a larger panel with other horned serpents, and thieves attempted to drag it to their vehicle before abandoning the damaged petroglyph and fleeing the scene. Theft and vandalism are common at petroglyph sites throughout the Southwest, and are felonies that can carry hefty fines and long prison sentences.