Origins and Antiquity of the Xoloitzcuintli Breed
The Xoloitzcuintli, or Mexican hairless dog, is one of the oldest canine breeds in the Americas. Genetic and archaeological studies suggest that its ancestors arrived with the earliest human migrations from Asia and became fully integrated into ancient Mesoamerican societies. The breed as we know it today emerged approximately 3,500 years ago, although some estimates place its origins even earlier, around 7,000 years ago.
The earliest evidence of domesticated dogs in Mexico dates to around 3500 BCE, based on canine remains discovered at the Cueva del Tecolote, Huapalcalco, Hidalgo. By the Middle Preclassic (ca. 1000 BCE), dogs were already present in funerary and ceremonial contexts, with the xoloitzcuintli likely evolving in western Mexico (Colima, Nayarit, Jalisco) before spreading to other regions of Mesoamerica.
Archaeological Discoveries of Xoloitzcuintli Remains
| Site (Location) | Culture/Period | Estimated Date | Archaeological Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cueva del Tecolote (Huapalcalco, Hidalgo) | Archaic (preceramic) | ca. 3500 BCE | Oldest known evidence of domesticated dogs in Mexico. Bones found in preceramic layers. |
| El Pantano (Mascota Valley, Jalisco) | Middle Preclassic | ca. 800 BCE | Dog figurines placed in shaft tombs; linked to funerary beliefs about guiding the dead. |
| West Mexico (Colima, Jalisco, Nayarit) | Late Preclassic–Early Classic | 300 BCE – 300 CE | Abundant red clay dog effigy vessels, known as "Colima dogs", found in tombs. Likely depictions of xoloitzcuintlis. |
| Tula (Hidalgo) | Late Classic / Toltec | ca. 650–700 CE | Mass burial with 30+ dogs of three distinct types (including xoloitzcuintli); possibly sacrificed as ritual companions. |
| Teotihuacan (Cave) (Mexico Valley) | Classic Period | ca. 400 CE | Cave burial with 14 humans and 3 dogs—interpreted as spiritual guides for the afterlife journey. |
| Templo Mayor, Tenochtitlan (Mexico City) | Late Postclassic (Aztec/Mexica) | 15th century CE | Ritual offerings including xoloitzcuintli bones in elite ceremonies. Dogs selected for size and color, often sacrificial. |
These findings confirm that the xoloitzcuintli was widely present across Mesoamerica for over three millennia, not only as a companion animal but as a spiritually significant presence tied to funerary rites, healing practices, and cosmological beliefs.
Iconographic and Historical Records
Among the Mexica (Aztecs)
The xoloitzcuintli had a deeply religious and symbolic role in Aztec culture. According to Mexica mythology, the god Xólotl gifted the dog to humanity so it could guide the dead across the underworld river Chiconahuapan toward Mictlán, the land of the dead. Only hairless dogs of reddish-brown color were considered worthy to accompany the soul, and many were buried with their owners to fulfill this sacred duty.
Spanish chronicler Fray Bernardino de Sahagún documented the Aztecs' reverence for the breed, describing how they were raised with care, sometimes even covered with blankets to protect them from cold nights. The Aztecs believed xolos had healing powers, capable of absorbing illness or warding off evil spirits. In daily life, they also served as a ritual food source, consumed during ceremonies or as symbolic sacrifices in place of human victims.
Aztec calendars featured the day Itzcuintli (Dog) among their sacred 20-day cycle, emphasizing the dog's cosmic role. Sculptures and offerings uncovered in the Templo Mayor show that xoloitzcuintlis were sacrificed, buried, or venerated in state ceremonies, further confirming their elevated status in the spiritual life of the Mexica.
Among the Maya
The ancient Maya shared similar beliefs. In Maya cosmology, dogs guided the dead through the dark trials of Xibalba, the underworld. Painted ceramic vessels from the Classic Period (250–900 CE) often depict dogs holding torches or accompanying human souls.
Excavations at Maya sites like Ceibal (Guatemala) yielded dog remains in human burials dating back to 700–400 BCE, indicating early ceremonial roles for dogs. Glyphs in Maya writing, such as tz’i’ (in K’iche’) or ok (in Yucatec), refer to the day “Dog” in the ritual calendar, mirroring the Itzcuintli day of the Aztecs.
Artifacts such as incense burners shaped like fattened dogs—likely xoloitzcuintlis—suggest that dogs were also ritually sacrificed and consumed to aid the soul’s nourishment in the afterlife.
Among the Toltecs (Tula)
After the fall of Teotihuacan, the Toltecs at Tula revived the tradition of sacrificing dogs in funerary contexts. A major discovery involved a burial site containing a human and more than 30 dogs of various types, including the xoloitzcuintli. This confirms that the breed existed and was ritually important centuries before the Aztecs.
In Teotihuacan and Central Highlands
Interestingly, during the height of Teotihuacan's influence (200–600 CE), burial practices involving dogs seem to have declined. However, exceptional cases—such as a cave burial with both children and dogs—suggest that the belief in the dog's role as a psychopomp persisted in some forms.
Other Civilizations (Olmecs, Zapotecs, etc.)
The Olmecs, considered the “mother culture” of Mesoamerica, consumed dogs for food but also associated them spiritually with the jaguar—a key figure in their mythologies. At San Lorenzo (Veracruz), dog bones dominate the faunal remains, some showing signs of butchering.
The Zapotecs of Monte Albán included dog bones (likely from xoloitzcuintlis) in elite tombs, suggesting symbolic roles as companions of the dead. Ceramic urns in Zapotec funerary traditions also feature animal figures believed to represent dogs linked to the underworld.
Conclusion
Across millennia, the xoloitzcuintli has remained a guardian, healer, and spiritual guide in Mesoamerican civilizations. Archaeological evidence confirms its presence as far back as 3500 BCE, while iconographic and historical records reveal a consistent role as a psychopomp, a creature tied to healing, death rituals, and divine connection.
From Olmec shaft tombs to Maya painted vases, from Toltec burials to Aztec sacrifice altars, the xoloitzcuintli's image and remains appear repeatedly, affirming its unique position in the cultural and spiritual fabric of ancient Mexico. Today, the breed stands not only as a national symbol of Mexico but also as a living witness to the continent’s deep human-animal history.
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