Mesoamerican world tree

World trees are a prevalent motif occurring in the mythical cosmologies, creation accounts, and iconographies of the pre-Columbian cultures of Mesoamerica.

Depictions of world trees, both in their directional and central aspects, are found in the art and mythological traditions of cultures such as the Maya, Aztec, Izapan, Mixtec, Olmec, and others, dating to at least the Mid/Late Formative periods of Mesoamerican chronology.

[5] It is supposed that Mesoamerican sites and ceremonial centers frequently had actual trees planted at each of the four cardinal directions, representing the quadripartite concept.

[6] World trees are frequently depicted with birds in their branches, and their roots extending into earth or water (sometimes atop a "water-monster", symbolic of the underworld).

[7] While the cosmic tree symbolism has deep roots in Mesoamerican cultures,[8] the precise botanical identification and underlying meaning of the motif remain poorly understood.

A tableau from the Western Mexico shaft tomb tradition , showing a multi-layered tree with birds. It has been proposed that the birds represent souls who have not yet descended into the underworld, [ 1 ] while the central tree may represent the Mesoamerican world tree. [ 2 ]
Tree of Life, Izapa Stela 5