HOmOtgLUS B ORChId MANtIs THIS SCulptURaL STUDy oF the
lIFefOrm KnowN aS coLlOQUIaLLY AS THe ORCHId MANTIs ExhiBiTs
sOMe cuRiOuS HybRId ANd cHimERic BEhaVIoRS THAT refER boTh
To PLanTS aND anImAls NOT mUCh IS KNown of ITs AnAtomY or
BEhavioR bUt THE desiGn Of tHIs scuLptUre IMPLIeS thAT it
seRvED As A KIND OF rELIGiOus objeCT as well As A FOCuS fOr
RItuaL actIViTY antHrOPOLOGIsTS hAvE surmiSEd THAt IT MIgHt
HaVE been uSED iN praCtICES rELatING to thERIaNtHROpy or
ShaPeShIfTING where IDEnTiTy gEnDeR sPecIes AnD genUS are
fLuid In tHE CoNtExt OF THE ritUAl sPACE wIthoUt OtheR
ArtifacTS we Can oNLY GUESs at thE nAtURe OF ThE SocieTY
ThAt CReatEd thIS ObJeCT aNd how thEiR PEOPle MIghT HAVE
lIveD aRTiFacts FROM THE age Of COLLApSe