Lonely Planet™ · Thorn Tree Forum · 2020

What is the meaning of this?

Country forums / South America / Ecuador & the Galapagos Islands

I have see this in Cuenca from several places, such as

In CIDAP (https://iaxyda.bn1301.livefilestore.com/y2pA8-lTjwqSyhiKFtY6ID-rCwy4FSoyV1MP7AFgHXxOi-qv_QCnN0H8LwLcrlukpvJ0EoGkNObFYS8TRGqJkuhynRQd5e4YZkggQayyD2dI_A/CIDAP%2003.jpg?psid=1)

and

On outside wall of Museo de Arte Moderno (https://ikve3w.bn1302.livefilestore.com/y2p9CM0nSHaCkwmOIpDvb0s1ACu9hvZz9UnJ8vyB5-cwtTpMuduVOr7d1SflILi5VqTz6hlyTIw_BFbtruk-bihRHIrPwNUNsqtDP-11TmkV7g/Museo%20de%20Arte%20Moderno%2003.jpg?psid=1)

What is the history of this carving?