Spectacular armadillo woodcarving by top alebrije artist Emmanuel Ramirez. Carved from a single block of copal wood, its smooth, rounded shell features a kaleidoscope of geometric patterns, with each band of color carefully selected, ranging from soft lavenders and mint greens to deep terracottas and twilight blues. The alternating stripes of Zapotec motifs and zigzag triangles create a gentle rhythm on the shell, as if the armadillo is breathing slowly and deliberately.
Even the tail, sectioned like little painted beads, carries a subtle gradient from pastel pink to deep plum, demonstrating Emmanuel's mastery of color transitions!
In pre-Columbian cosmologies, the armadillo was more than a curious forest dweller; it was a living symbol of protection, cyclical renewal, and the mysterious interplay between above-ground life and the hidden forces below.
