Yucatan, Mexico. The thorny trunk is characteristic. . . . at least in younger trees. The very old trees have no thorns, or any they may have are located far above humans. "The tree plays an important part in the mythologies of pre-Columbian Mesoamerican cultures.The Maya civilization believed. Yaaxché, a concept of the central world tree is often depicted as a Ceiba trunk, which connects the planes of the Underworld (Xibalba), the terrestrial realm, and the skies. The unmistakable thick conical thorns in clusters on the trunk were reproduced by the southern lowland Maya of the Classical Period on cylindrical ceramic burial urns or incense holders." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceiba