He is a patron god of the scribal arts, dancing and feasting. [29] Finally, the Headband Gods often participate in the mythology of the Tonsured Maize God, the Maize Hero. The Mayan maize god was the most important religious figure for them. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Copyright 2023 Tulum.com. Scholars studying the Aztec (or Mexica) religion have identified no fewer than 200 gods and goddesses, divided into three groups. The Book of Chilam Balam of Chumayel relates the collapse of the sky and the deluge, followed by the slaying of the earth crocodile, the raising of the sky and the erection of the five World Trees. Chinchilla Mazariegos 2017: 162, Guernsey 2006: 91-117; Nielsen and Helmke 2015; Chinchilla Mazariegos 2017: 130-157, Braakhuis 2014; Chinchilla Mazariegos 2017: 218-223, Chinchilla Mazariegos 2017: 164-168, 202-207, List of Maya gods and supernatural beings, http://research.mayavase.com/kerrmaya.html, Public domain translations of some important Maya texts, Representation of Deities of the Maya Manuscripts, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Maya_mythology&oldid=1160659581, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 4.0. These gods had to be pleased so Maya communities made regular offerings to them, . Scholars say he is the deity of suicide, often illustrated as cutting off his own head. Maya or Mayan mythology is part of Mesoamerican mythology and comprises all of the Maya tales in which personified forces of nature, deities, and the heroes interacting with these play the main roles.The myths of the era have to be reconstructed from iconography.Other parts of Mayan oral tradition (such as animal tales, folk tales, and many moralising stories) are not considered here. In Merle Greene Robertson and V. Fields (eds.). A Postclassic mural from Mayapan shows a tied crocodile in the water,[18] whereas a Classic inscription from Palenque (Temple XIX) mentions the decapitation of a crocodile. Other sources include the Popol Vuh, a sacred Maya text that covers the creation myths and other related lore of the Kiche people, who inhabited the Guatemalan Highlands. Gill, N.S. Goddess Serpiente of the Mayan Aguadas. Since the daughter represents the 'bride-wealth' of the earth, this tale was also recited as part of the procedures to ask for the hand of a girl. [31] Others, however, prefer to view the 'musical challenge' as a rainmaking ritual and the emergence from the turtle abode as the Opening of the Maize Mountain. Hundreds of Mayans canoe across the Caribbean sea to Cozumel Island to visit a temple dedicated to Ix Chel to receive blessings. Kinich Ahau is the sun god of the Mayan pantheon, sometimes associated with or an aspect of Itzamna. Nicholson 1967: 61-64. In both versions, Ah Puch is the epitome of decay, appearing in a skeletal form and frequently in execution scenes. The 30 most important gods of Mayan culture Hunab Ku . The creator God who brought water and wind. The Mayan gods: an explanation from the structures of thought Priests kept the calendars, the solar cycle calendar with its 365 days, the sacred calendar of 260 days and the Long Count Calendar. List of Maya gods and supernatural beings Chaac Chaac was the Mayan god of thunder and rainstorms. The same inscriptions connect the Classic Jaguar Slayer theme to that of the so-called Jaguar Baby. Ixtlilton . "Gods and Goddesses of the Maya." It was later transcribed and translated into Spanish in the early 18th century. His awareness of his own inadequacies before these forces is overwhelming. However, like the proverbial phoenix, Kaxob had the undefeatable power of rejuvenation, which after a passage of time made him rise from his death, thereby once again completing the natural cycle. Gods & Mayan Priests The religious hierarchy became so bewildering that it was beyond the comprehension of the average Maya, who relied on priests to interpret the religion (so whats new?). Chac Chel ("Rainbow" or the "Great End") is known as Goddess O, an old and powerful woman who wears spotted jaguar ears and pawsor perhaps she is an older version of Ix Chel. CHEERING What were the key Mayan beliefs? Heres the list of the top five Mayan Gods of all time: Itzamn, the big cheese overall and lord of the heavens as well as night and day, could be called upon in hard times or calamities. Inside this hellish realm, Yum Cimil takes sadistic pleasure in extinguishing the very essence of souls by torturing them with fire and water. 7th-8th century Mayan priests closely tracked all the cycles important to Mayan life. The Maya Civilization: A Culture Of Gods And Goddesses 1. Ix Chel harnessed the yin and yang of female power and was often represented as a wizened old woman who held the power to create and destroy the earth. Your email address will not be published. Scribal gods: Numerous avatars of gods are illustrated sitting cross-legged and writing: Itzamna appears as a scribe or a teacher of scribes, Chac is illustrated writing or painting or spewing out numbers strips of paper; and in the Popol Vuh are illustrated the monkey scribes and artists, Hun Batz and Hun Chuen. Important ones include gods of death, fertility, rain and thunderstorms, and creation. Beliaev, Dimitri, and Albert Davletshin (2014), It was then that that which had been clay turned into a man: Reconstructing Maya anthropogonic myths. This suggests that mythically, Itzamna also played his part in creating human beings. Ah Mun was the corn god and the god of agriculture. The face of Akan is characterized by a division sign or percent sign on his cheek and a blackened region around his eye. Take a visit to any of the temples in Tulum and youll likely spot drawings of Gods and Goddesses. Huracan, also spelled Hurakan, is known as U K'ux Kaj ("Heart of the Sky") in the Popol Vuh; K'awiil in the classic period; the "god with the ornamented nose" and God K to scholars. In the most prominent tale, Hun Hunahpu and his own brother were tricked by the Mayan gods of death (in a ball game) and then sacrificed. The complete alphabetical list of Maya Gods and Goddess names. The god of storms and rain, enemy of Camazotz. In this aspect, she was associated with both lunar cycles and rabbits and was often given epithets like Ixik Uh (Lady Moon). Often illustrated with a snaggle-tooth or chapfallen mouth to indicate his age, Itzamna can appear in many different guises: as a priest, or as earth-caiman (a type of crocodile), and sometimes as a personified tree or a bird deity. This only became possible in the early seventies of the last century, when an enormous increase in the number of Maya vases available for study occurred. Mayan Gods - The Ancient Mayan Gods and Goddesses - Tulum.com Inscribed on his cheek, brow, or another part of his body is the quatrefoil symbol of the sun. As for depictions, the Mayan storm god was represented with a branching nose (signifying his power) and a leg that transformed into a serpent at the end. Itzamn (or Zamn ) They are featured in the Storm Runner Trilogy, a series written by Jennifer Cervantes and published by Rick Riordan Presents . Colonial period records say he was the supreme ruler of the Maya gods. Hes shown with a huge nose, bulging eyes and a body with reptile-like scales (charming). According to a concept prevalent among Maya groups of Chiapas, in the dim past jaguars presented a continuous threat to humankind. He attempts to define, even appease, those forces that he cannot fully control. Ek Chuaj (or God M) was a Postclassic Mayan deity who was venerated as the patron of both merchants and cocoa. God C: The personification of sacredness. World War Two Timeline From The Great War To Germanys Surrender. Site created in November 2000. Akan often holds an enema syringe and/or is illustrated vomiting, both signs of his participation in drinking bouts, especially the alcoholic drink pulque ("chih"). Mayan Symbols: What Were They And What Did They Mean? Often represented by a jaguar, eagle or deer animals that represent power Kinich Ahau was the sun God of Maya culture and its believed that he was a generator of light, time, heat and the four directions that universe had in its expanse. To the Mayans, the world was flat with four strong gods at each of the corners representing the cardinal directions. And like other comparable Mayan deities, the great god was also represented differently (or in a dual manner) in some codices, like an old man with crooked teeth (in the Madrid Codex). Often depicted as a wise but toothless old man, Itzamna is considered the founder of the Mayan culture, astrology and writing. Of considerable interest is also the parallel narrative of a maize hero defeating the deities of Thunder and Lightning and establishing a pact with them. California Do not sell my personal information. And interestingly enough, while he is often represented with motifs of corn (sometimes in the form of a headdress), Yum Kaax is not to be confused with the Corn God (or God E). Mayan Mythology The Mayan civilization flourished in Mesoamerica from around 300 b.c. Itzamna (Itzamn or Itzam Na, also called God D) was counted among one of the most popular Mayan deities in the pre-Columbian pantheon He was designated as the king of heaven and night and day. The Maya also believed in the underworldreferred to as Xibalba by the Yucatec, and Metnal by the Quichewhere gods were said to torment them. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. The aged god asks Itzamnaaj that he brings back his wife. Interestingly enough, in terms of conventional zoology, all of the three known species of vampire bats are actually native to the New World. From Chiapas and the western Guatemalan Highlands comes the tale of Younger Brother and his jealous Elder Brethren: Youngest One becomes the Sun, his mother becomes the Moon, and the Elder Brethren are transformed into wild pigs and other forest animals. Other traits associated with Kinich Ahau are his filled incisors, and rope-like elements curling out of the sides of his mouth. His images are often comical, with specific references to his anus and flatulence. He is the god venerated by hunters and by farmers, who hunt wild animals or carve their fields out of his forest. Often termed the Lady Rainbow, the goddess is associated with the moon, weather, fertility, children, and health. The Aztec and Mayan peoples worshiped, among others, gods and goddesses of creation and war, of death and the underworld, and of life and fertility. Ix Chel (or Ixchel, also called Goddess O and sometimes associated with Goddess I) was an important feminine deity in the Mayan pantheon (from both the Classic and Late Postclassic Periods, circa 250 1550 AD). His epithets in the Quechua language include Cimi ("Death") and Cizin ("The Flatulent One"). Two or three other episodes stand out instead. In many ways, he was perceived as the essence or power residing within the crops (like maize) that allowed them to grow, ripen, and ultimately sustain the Maya people. Manikin Scepter: God K or GII of the Palenque Triad, a version of Kawil and Tohil, but a small representation that is held in the hand of a ruler. Clara Bezanilla. Ix Chel is the goddess of medicine and midwifery, also known as the goddess of making children. The story of the Hero Twins trapped in a bat cave doesn't appear anywhere else, not in the Maya codexes or illustrated on vases or stelae. [3] A Verapaz myth preserved by Las Casas in his 'Apologtica Historia Sumaria'[4] assigns the creation of humankind to artisan gods similar to the Popol Vuh monkey brothers. Consequently, his female counterpart was possibly regarded as the benevolent hangwoman who was also associated with snares. Hunab Ku is a pre-Columbian god whose name translates as the only God or the one God. Furthermore, interestingly enough, the Mayan religion didnt accord many Mayan gods with godly characteristics (for the most part). Misty Sky is most often illustrated as an ancient man, stooped with age, with a prominent, beaked nose and a sunken, toothless mouth. Incredibly enough, given the diversity of cultures in Mesoamerica and the ever-evolving nature of myths and lore, Kukulkan, as a central figure, was also portrayed in forms that went beyond the morphology of serpents. Taube, Karl, William Saturno, David Stuart, Heather Hurst (2010). Quetzalcoatl: A central figure in all Mesoamerican religions, a miraculous synthesis of serpent and bird, Gukumatz or Q'uq'umatz in the Popol Vuh; Kukulkan as the Feathered Serpent at Chichen Itza. There was a moon goddess, and a maize god. Chaac Uayab Xoc. Chac is closely identified with war and human sacrifice. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Mayan Gods often have duality and can represent more than one thing, Ek Chuaj is one of those Gods. Ix Chel is one of the most important Goddesses in the vast Maya Pantheon from both the classic and late post-classic period (250-1550AD). Note* The article was updated on 27th April 2022. Further, there was the Mayan maize god called Yumil Kaxob who was equally important considering that maize was the staple grain of the Mayans. REGIONS COVERED: Ancient Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and all parts in between. Contrastingly, Itzamna poses as an antithesis of his father, since he aids the ancient Maya people by inventing writing, sacred calendar systems, agriculture, science, and Maya medicine. (2014), Challenging the Lightnings: San Bartolo's West Wall and the Maize Hero Myth. And such areas were considered portals or entry points to the mysterious underworld. The Twins attack Itzamnaaj and wound him. The Top 10 Aztec Gods of Mexica Mythology - ThoughtCo She was the wife of Itzamna who was one of the most powerful Gods a real power couple. Home The Mayan Gods & Goddesses You Should Know About. Braakhuis, H.E.M. This article is part of our larger selection of posts about the Mayans. [39] Additional scenes have the upper god, Itzamna, riding a deer and the hero brothers hunting a boar with the upper god clinging to it. Itzamn Itzamn was one of the most important gods for the Maya: he was the creator, and ruler of day and night. All of these jaguars represent the power of hostile social groups. Prominent among these were deities that corresponded to elemental aspects of Maya life: Chaac, the rain god, K'inich Ajaw, the Sun god, Ix Chel, the goddess of medicine and fertility. The Mayan gods: an explanation from the structures of thought. A fish god and the patron deity of fishermen. [11], The origin of Sun and Moon is not always the outcome of a Marriage with the Earth. Tower Dedicated to Ix Chel, Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve in Riviera Maya, Mexico. Sky Bearers: Pan-Mesoamerican gods who had the task of sustaining the sky, four deities known as bacabs, related to Pauahtun. Itzamna (Itzamn or Itzam Na, also called God D) was counted among one of the most popular Mayan deities in the pre-Columbian pantheon He was designated as the king of heaven and night and day. Every god in Mayan religion had human-like powers and lives. The most important Maya deity was probably the sun god, who was variously known as Kinich Ahau, Hun Ahau, and K'inich Ajaw. Chaac has a four-fold aspect, with each aspect representing the cardinal directions and colors. K-numbers refer to vases on http://research.mayavase.com/kerrmaya.html Riding on a deer Itzamnaaj pursues the Twins. Some scholars consider Chac the Maya version of the Aztec Quetzalcoatl. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. In the Maya book known as the Madrid Codex, Itzamna wears a tall cylindrical headdress and an ornamented back cape. Mayan Gods and Goddesses - Discover Gods of Ancient Mayan Civilizations He was also known as the God of childbirth and beginnings but in a plot twist, he works against the Gods of fertility. The Mayan sun god, also one of the most powerful Mayan gods, was called Kinich Ahau or Ahaw Kin. [33] Other scholars, however, view the women as 'corn maidens', or even as the maize deity's 'harem',[34] a concept not otherwise attested. First Father had entered the sky and made a house of eight partitions there. This Mayan God was worshipped all over the Mayan world, but the center of worship for this God is Chichen Itza, a mesoamerican step pyramid. The Aztec and Mayan peoples worshiped, among others, gods and . He is the most important god of Maya culture, father of all gods, he is the only one alive and true, and from him all things are born. Tohil: Patron god of the Quiche at the time of the Spanish conquest, and the principal god named in the Popol Vuh, who demands blood sacrifice and might be another name for God K. Vision Serpent: A rearing serpent with a single head and prominent snake markings whose mouth belches out gods, ancestors, and other nobles. In Maya narrative, the origin of many natural and cultural phenomena is set out, often with the moral aim of defining the ritual relationship between humankind and its environment. Taube, Karl (1985), The Classic Maya Maize God: A Reappraisal. Unsurprisingly, in some depictions, Camazotz was represented as holding a sacrificial knife in one hand and a human heart (or victim) in the other. She is represented as an aged woman. Schele, Linda, David Freidel, and Joy Parker (1993). For the full History Unplugged podcast, click here! Heres what you need to know. Ix Chel Lintel 15 at Yaxilan. Dogs dyed with the color of cocoa were sacrificed along with blue iguanas; these offerings were later consumed by the Maya. Taube, Karl (2010), Where earth and sky meet: The sea and sky in ancient and contemporary Maya cosmology. On the other hand, as Goddess O, Ix Chel (or a deity who was similar to the goddess Ix Chel) was represented as a wizened old woman who had the power to both create and destroy the earth. Illustrations of Huracan show him with a long, serpentine nose with belly scuteshorny plates like those seen on a turtle shell extending out from his abdomenand a single, often burning serpent-like leg and foot. Divinity Maya Art - The Metropolitan Museum of Art Gods and Goddesses of the Maya - ThoughtCo In revenge for the death of 400 boys, the Hero Twins decided to kill Zipacna, by toppling a mountain onto his chest and turning him into stone. The Aztecs called him Quetzalcoatl, so its believed that Kukulcan and Quetzalcoatl were the same beings. There were even instances where priests and officials would get high on other substances ranging from tobacco and morning glory seeds to mushrooms. Human sacrifices were offered to Kukulkan. Text and Context in Maya Mythologies (Proceedings of the 12th European Maya Conference, Geneva 2007). During the Classic period, Kinich Ahau was used as a royal title, carrying the idea of the divine king. Mayan Gods | Riordan Wiki | Fandom As a group, the loosely allied city-states known as Maya polities shared all of the gods, but certain deities were identified with specific Maya centers or the dynastic families of the rulers of those cities. Itzamna was the god of creation, considered by the Yucatec Maya to be the first priest, who invented writing and books and divided the lands among the people. Coe, Michael D. (1977), Supernatural Patrons of Maya Scribes and Artists. His "Roman nose" has a pair of beads at the very tip. With between 166 and 250 named gods, the Mayans had a complex and changeable pantheon. These gods are listed below, but the list is not comprehensive by any means. Names of the Maya Gods - Godchecker Its not uncommon to see him setting fire to buildings and stabbing people with a spit which he uses to roast them over a fire. So, in many ways, Yumil Kaxob was venerated as an aspect of the life force that resides within the flora. Gill is a Latinist, writer, and teacher of ancient history and Latin. Such mighty actions nourished the various crops (especially the maize, which is often ascribed as a gift of Chaac to the Maya people after he discovered the seedling inside the rock) and fostered the natural cycle of life in terms of regeneration. Browse 735 images of mayan gods photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more photos and images. The myths of the era have to be reconstructed from iconography. [38], A number of codical vases show antlered young men together with young women and amazons mounting a deer, all of them surrounding a wounded or dying old man who is the patron deity of the deer (Sip). Zipacna (or Sipac) is a celestial crocodile warrior, considered a counterpart of the pan-Mesoamerican god Cipactli, the earth-monster, who had to be killed to create the earth.