Significance of the xeno mural

I think either A. The Xeno species already exist before the events of Prometheus, and it's a relief depicting or exalting the Xeno. B. If the Xeno doesn't exist already, like some people around here think, it's some kind of blueprint for the creation of the Xeno. C. It's a depiction of the SJ with a parasite attached to its head, instead of that being the xeno head.

I have no idea, other than it seems to indicate this "Xeno" is central to the whole civilization, given what appears to be the HUGE size of the mural and its central appearance... Being that it is in a "Christlike" pose, I wonder if the "Xenos" are sacrificial saviours, or something else...

of all the imagery in the PROMETHEUS trailer, THAT image is the most intriguing to me. someone on these boards mentioned that the relief on the wall was being formed by nanobiomechanoids, since Shaw mentions that the walls where changing in the trailer the way the relief was presented, suggests the alien is held in a very high regard, given the magnificence of the formation and placement of the alien i'd guess that the alien in the wall relief is some sort of highly regarded entity in the Engineer's universe, and possibly what they strive to be like..(?) can't say that will all confidence given that i haven't seen the film interesting thread here

I'm wondering if it doesn't literally represent "Prometheus on the rock", as if to say the Xenos are the guys that stole the proverbial fire, and their torture is now this hideous form, which is of course eternal and ever-renewing.

It's possible we're only seeing one part of a very large wall or something. There could be all kinds of beings or events depicted in this fashion. Could be nothing more significant than a bit of world/culture building detail. As is common in storytelling, there could be some kind of parallel being drawn, between this alien wall relief and the art of Earth cultures shown (with the group of dots) in the trailers.

is this what we see when she says the ceiling is changing?

I have speculated that the xenos could actually be the SJ creator race, who were later surpassed by the SJs and degenerated.

hmmmmmm anyone else notice that the formation above the xeno looks like Satan???? its probably not at all, but thats what it looks like to me lol

maybe this wall thingy makes the first specimen of whatever, and then it sends bio signals out to the ampules that copy the DNA signature and make more........ so that thing up there is actually the first xeno ever and its alive, just stuck in a wall lol

I proposed this idea in another thread. I think the mural depicts the result of original 'xeno' DNA and 'engineer' DNA. It has a smooth appearance and looks less biomechanical than our beloved original monster. I understand the idea that it may not accurately depict a new 'xeno' knowing that the 'artist' that created it would have his own interpretation. But, the style goes hand in hand with the giant head, they are presumably found in the same temple, its more than likely that the same artist rendered both, and the head accurately represents the engineer we see in the Starmap room. Plus, why wood an artist render something, a being, that didn't actually exist? How do you pay homage to something that never existed? Especially something as unique as that thing.

It is possible that this mural is an indicator that something concerning these creatures has been activated. Its saying "this is ready for deployment" or "this is about to get loose if you don't stop that."

It also just might be a decorative indicator in the ship's egg room.

I think it isn't the creature we know and love, but an image of a prototype, or a bioengineered version of species the Engineers created. Celebratory art, but to the Engineers maybe not the most important.

Ok ... what about this ... after dicovering that there are now actually FIVE (or more) Silos (Ampule chambers) ... what about FIVE different murals (on the walls) depicting a different creature inside each Silo? ... Ridley said he got Giger in to do murals ... big murals ... plural ...

Interesting, this would allow Shaw to be infected by a different creature.

maybe this forms the back of the SJ outfit. Like a breastplate, but the back.

D. A mural depicting a SJ held down as some kind of parasite engulfs his face. The head area looks like it could be some sort of membranous material being stretched over a head.

@Gem]n[ Yes, that's been suggested, and would make sense in context with the humanoid head........Who's to say the SJs haven't meddled with the biology of multiple worlds? Perhaps the pyramids are traps, intended to harvest the fruits of their past labors for some larger, very dark purpose........that would work for me.

Let's face it. It's what we all wanted to see. A tie-in to the most recognisable Xenomorph. Of course it's there. IMHO it will be one of the shapes that the bio-weapon will attain when it 'senses' the presence of a host. Good for Giger!

It could be a warning. Even if you didn't know what the xenos looked like, that wall would look pretty damn intimidating.

it looks kind of like a Giger version of Dante's Inferno...

We know the Xeno mural is in the trailer during those temple scenes. Now that we know there are at least 3-4 temples, how do we know for sure that this very mural is located in the Big Head temple? As someone speculated each temple may house different genetic type. Maybe the Xeno temple is the one they discovered first and that's where the crew gets all infected.

Whenever it shows up it seems to reactively. I think this is the picture the nanites create on the ceiling when shaw says " it's changing"

Speaking of "Christlike" - is that why Shaw is crying? If we are assuming she is religious, is she crying because it resembles Jesus on the cross? She's not shedding a tear because she's happy - she looks terrified there. Like it hits her core beliefs.

The SJ's for whatever reason,try to wipe us out because of something we did/became.The Weapon they use on us are the worms in the ampule,Now if they create organisms to serve them,that would make perfect sense to have the SJ head in the ampule room.Young always relate to the fist thing they see.But,we evolved differently we are evil in our own ways.So instead of becoming slaves,we become defiant,violent and strong-we are the Xenos! Shaw is impregnated but gives multiple births like prometheus andhis liver.The SJ chair will not allow a standard birth THEY LEARN FROM THE BEGINNING OF THEIR LIVES TO BREAK OUT!!!

Remember Shaw says in the trailer that the head itself is changing.........this could be what it changes into.........just like i believe that the little pods around it change into eggs......SOMEHOW.

I believe it is a representation of an adult Alien form birthing from a Space jockeys chest. The representation shows the final product rather than the Chestburster and it appears as a "birthing" rather than a bursting the artist showing the reverence the Xenomorph life cycle is given in their culture. It's like they become these great beings, it's a privilage to birth them etc.

Im thinking this relief is located on top of those gateways we see in some scenes, like the ones on the 2 sides of the starmap room. Looks like this could fit right there!

And just imagine you personally standing below this relief. It would scare a living juices out of me, here we can have a small glimpse of what Ridley meant by scaring the shit out of us :) It works

Perhaps it is a reminder to the Engineers who crew such vessels and work the "egg" / "cannister" rooms that...THIS [Xenomorph forerunner/prototype] IS THE RESULT IF YOU COME INTO CONTACT WITH OUR OWN TECHNOLOGY!.....? Is it a warning....or as other fans suggest....is it putting the xenomorph on a pedestal?

I think that as the Engineers are our creators (they like to create forms of life), this mural shows the best creature they want to created as it is their best creation, a "real survivour" like the xeno has been called many times. maybe they have already created it.