Mayan Mythology

 
 

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Evidence of the Mayan civilization's religious beliefs is extensive. 

Some gods had different aspects based on four directions. There were thirteen gods of thirteen heavens and nine gods of nine underworlds. Natural elements, stars and planets, numbers, crops, days of the calendar and periods of time all had their own gods. 

The Quiché Maya creation story is the Popol Vuh. This has the world created from nothing by the will of the gods. Man was made unsuccessfully out of mud and then wood before being made out of maize and being assigned tasks which praised the gods - silversmith, gem cutter, stone carver, potter, etc. The Mayans did not believe in art per se; all of their works were for the exaultation of the gods. 

The last thirteen creator gods (built humanity from maize): 

1. Ajbit 
2. Ajtzak 
3. Alom 
4. Bitol 
5. Chirakan-Ixmucane 
6. Gucumatz 
7. Hunahpu-Gutch 
8. Huracan 
9. Ixmucane 
10. Ixpiyacoc 
11. Tepeu 
12. Tzacol 
13. Xumucane 

The second seven creator gods (built humanity from wood): 

1. Alom 
2. Bitol 
3. Gucamatz 
4. Huracan 
5. Qaholom 
6. Tepeu 
7. Tzacol 

The first three creator gods: 

1. Gucamatz 
2. Huracan 
3. Tepeu 

The four gods who held up the corner of the world were (Bacabs): 

1. Cauac 
2. Kan (later replaced by Chac) 
3. Ix 
4. Mulac 

The four progenitors of the human race were: 

1. B'alam Agab 
2. B'alam Quitze 
3. Iqi B'alam 
4. Mahucatah 

Some of the named Mayan gods: 

1. Ac Yanto 
2. Acan 
3. Acat 
4. Ah Bolom Tzacab 
5. Ah Cancum 
6. Ah Chun Caan 
7. Ah Chuy Kak 
8. Ah Ciliz 
9. Ah Cun Can 
10. Ah Cuxtal 
11. Ah Hulneb 
12. Ah Kin 
13. Ah Kumix Uinicob 
14. Ah Mun 
15. Ah Muzencab 
16. Ah Patnar Uinicob 
17. Ah Peku 
18. Ah Puch 
19. Ah Tabai 
20. Ah Uincir Dz'acab 
21. Ah Uuc Ticab 
22. Ahau Chamahez 
23. Ahau-Kin 
24. Ahmakiq 
25. Ahulane 
26. Ajbit 
27. Ajtzak 
28. Akhushtal 
29. Alaghom Naom 
30. Alaghom Naom Tzentel 
31. Alom 
32. Bacabs 
33. Backlum Chaam 
34. Balam 
35. Balam-Agab 
36. Balam-Quitzé 
37. Bitol 
38. Bolontiku 
39. Buluc Chabtan 
40. Cabaguil 
41. Cabrakan 
42. Cacoch 
43. Caha-Paluma 
44. Cakixia 
45. Cakulha 
46. Camaxtli 
47. Camazotz 
48. Camulatz 
49. Cauac 
50. Chac 
51. Chac Uayab Xoc 
52. Chamer 
53. Chaob 
54. Chibirias 
55. Chiccan 
56. Chirakan 
57. Choimha 
58. Cit-Bolon-Tum 
59. Cizin 
60. Colel Cab 
61. Colop U Uichkin 
62. Coyopa 
63. Cum Hau 
64. Ekchuah 
65. Ghanan 
66. Gucumatz 
67. Gukumatz 
68. Hacha'kyum 
69. Hun Came 
70. Hun Hunahpu 
71. Hunab Ku 
72. Hunahpu 
73. Hunahpu Utiu 
74. Hunahpu-Gutch 
75. Hunhau 
76. Hurakan 
77. Iqi-Balam 
78. Itzamna 
79. Itzananohk'u 
80. Ix 
81. Ix Chebel Yax 
82. Ixchel 
83. Ixmucane 
84. Ixpiyacoc 
85. Ixtab 
86. Ixzaluoh 
87. Kan 
88. Kan-u-Uayeyab 
89. Kan-xib-yui 
90. Kianto 
91. K'in 
92. Kinich Ahau 
93. Kinich Kakmo 
94. Kisin 
95. Kukulcan 
96. Mahucutah 
97. Mitnal 
98. Mulac 
99. Nacon 
100. Naum 
101. Nohochacyum 
102. Popol Vuh 
103. Tecumbalam 
104. Tepeu 
105. Tlacolotl 
106. Tohil 
107. Tzakol 
108. Tzununiha 
109. Voltan 
110. Votan 
111. Vucub Caquix 
112. Xaman Ek 
113. Xecotcovach 
114. Xibalba 
115. Xmucane and Xpiayoc 
116. Yaluk 
117. Yum Caax 
118. Zipacna 
119. Zotz 

External Links 

http://www.geocities.com/athens/academy/7286/popolvuhmain.html

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license. See http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html for details. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Mayan_mythology

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