MYTHOLOGICAL GODS
Mayan Goddess
The ancient Maya had a complex pantheon of deities whom they worshipped and
offered human sacrifices. Rulers were believed to be descendants of the gods and
their blood was the ideal sacrifice, either through personal bloodletting or the
sacrifice of captives of royal blood.
The Maya vision of the universe is divided into multiple levels, above and
below earth, positioned within the four directions of north, south, east and
west. After death, the soul was believed to go to the Underworld, Xibalba (shee
bal bah), a place of fright where sinister gods tested and tricked their
unfortunate visitors.
As with all Myths about Gods and Goddesses - Mayan Myths discuss connections
with being from other realms who came to Earth to seed the planet.
Many people see the story of the Popol Vuh is the story of
extraterrestrial Gods who came down and made man in his own image. When they
first made man he was so perfect - living as long as they did - he could see far
and wide - clairvoyant - and was as perceptive as they were.
They realized that they had made a competitor who was as wise as the Gods
themselves. So they destroyed him and started over creating present day man.
Modern man lives shorter lifetimes, is not as smart, and is here to act as a
servant race to the Gods.
Within their culture they have legends of visiting Gods from outer space. In
the last thousand years the being known as Quatzequatl the Great Feathered
Serpent was a God who brought the teaching of peace to this part of the world
and appeared as a white God with a beard. The drawings of him look almost
identical to the drawings of the being known as Ea or Enki in the ancient
Sumerian teachings.
In fact they looked like the images we see of Reptilians.
Quatzequatel: Winged God
Thoth and Quetzacotal were the same person, Thoth was identified to Atlantis,
Egypt, Sumer, then later was identified to Meso America and Peru as
Quetzacoatal.
His pyramid was the Pyramid of the Sun in Teotihuacan
Chac
Chac was the god of rain. He was a benevolent god for the Mayans who often
sought his help for their crops. Chac was associated with creation and life.
Chac was also considered to be divided into four equal entities. Each division
represented the North, South, East, and West. Chac was also apparently
associated with the wind god, Kukulcan. Some debate persists as to whether or
not Kukulcan was just a variotion of Chac.
Another Sun God - Kinich Ahau
Kinich Ahau was the Sun god. He was the patron god of the city Itzamal.
Supposedly, he visited the city at noon everday. He would descend as a macaw and
consume prepared offerings. Kinich Ahau is usually shown with jaguar-like
features (ex. filed teeth). Kinich Ahau also wears the symbol of Kin, a Mayan
day. Kinich Ahau was also know by the name Ah Xoc Kin, who was associated with
poetry and music.
Yumil Kaxob
The Maize god is representative of the ripe grain which was the base of the
Mayan agriculture. In certain areas of Mesoamerica, like Yucatan, the Maize god
is combined with the god of flora, Yumil Kaxob. The Maize god is principally
shown with a headdress of maize and a curved streak on his cheek. He is also
noticeable from other gods throug his youth. Despite this youth, the Maize god
was powerless by himself. His fortunes and misfortunes were decided by the
control of rain and drought. The Rain god would protect him. However, he
suffered when the Death god exercised drought and famine.
Yum Cimil
The death god was called Yum Cimil. He also could be called Ah Puch, the god
of the Underworld. His body is predominantly skeletal. His adornments are
likewise made of bones. Yum Cimil has also been represented with a body covered
with black spots (decomposition). He also wears a collar with eyeless sockets.
This adornment was the typical symbol for the Underworld.
Ixtab
The suicide goddess was called Ixtab. She is always represented with a rope
around her neck. The Mayans believed that suicides would lead you to heaven.
Hence, it was very common for suicides to happen because of depression or even
for something trivial.
Kukulcan
The wind god was also known as the feathered-serpent god Kukulcan.
The ancient Mayans used the doorways and windows of their buildings as
astronomical sightings, especially for the planet Venus.
At Uxmal, all buildings are aligned in the same direction. Surprisingly,
Mayans knew the motions of Venus with much accuracy.
Venus, the morning star, was the patron planet of warfare. Many offerings
were made to Venus and the Sun.We know from a historian that people would stop
up their chimneys so that no light from Venus could enter their houses and cause
harm.
Ix Chel
Ix Chel, the "Lady Rainbow," was the old Moon goddess in Mayan mythology. The
Maya people lived around 250 AD in what is now Guatemala and the Yucatan in
Mexico. Mayans associated human events with phases of the moon.
Ix Chel was depicted as an old woman wearing a skirt with crossed bones, and
she had a serpent in her hand. She had an assistant sky serpent, whom they
believed carried all of the waters of the heavens in its belly. She is often
shown carrying a great jug filled with water, which she overturns to send floods
and powerful rainstorms to Earth.
Her husband was the benevolent moon god Itzamna. Ix Chel had a kinder side
and was worshipped as the protector of weavers and women in childbirth.
Ah Kinchil: the Sun god.
Ah Puch: the god of Death.
Ahau Chamahez: one of two gods of Medicine.
Ahmakiq: a god of Agriculture who locks up the wind when it threatens to
destroy the crops.
