Chaneque

Origin and tradition

Nahua and Gulf Coast tradition describes chaneques as small guardians of dangerous places, springs, mountains, forests, and wild animals.

Illustration in this atlas

A small forest person with an old face, dark eyes, and a childlike body, sometimes wearing leaves or a small hat and leaving pale traces on the path.

References and further reading

1. en.wikipedia.org — Chaneque

These references offer further reading. Accounts and depictions vary; the atlas illustration is interpretive artwork, rather than historical or scientific evidence.