Mexican archæology : $b an introduction to the archæology of the Mexican and Mayan civilizations of pre-Spanish AmericaJoyce, Thomas Athol
History
Mexican archæology : $b an introduction to the archæology of the Mexican and Mayan civilizations of pre-Spanish America
Joyce, Thomas Athol
Mayas -- Antiquities; Mexico -- Antiquities
The Tzental of Chiapas and Tabasco venerated
a culture-hero Votan. But in actual cult, at any rate as far as the
Yucatec were concerned, the agricultural divinities were of primary
importance. As in Mexico, the god of agriculture and rain was also
the thunder-god; in Yucatan he was called Chac, and was assisted in
the performance of his functions by a number of subsidiary Chac,
just as Tlaloc by the Tlaloque. Another fertility-god was Ah Bolon
Tzacab, who, in one creation myth, is represented as taking the seeds
of all cultivated plants with him to the thirteenth heaven, a story
which recalls the theft of maize by Tlaloc (p. 48). Other patrons of
agriculture were the so-called Bacab, the four deities placed by the
creator to support the heavens. Their names were Hobnil, Kanzicnal,
Zaczini and Hozanek, and they are closely associated with the Chac, so
closely in fact that I am inclined to think that they were actually
four of the latter deities. Like the Mexican Tlaloc, the Chac were
supposed to carry axes, the weapon of the thunder-god, and were
closely associated with the snake which throughout America is the
symbol of rain. They have been identified, I think beyond doubt, with
the figure, called by Schellhas “God B,” of the manuscripts, a god
who appears constantly on the monuments throughout the Maya region
(Fig. 46, _e_). Like Tlaloc he is shown with a long nose and
tusks, the former of which on the buildings of Yucatan develops into
a regular trunk. Seler identifies Ah Bolon Tzacab with the “God K” of
Schellhas, a god with a foliated nose, who is closely associated with
Chac, and appears nearly as often on the monuments (Fig. 46, _b_).
God K however bears a striking resemblance to the Zapotec funerary
figures with their peculiar elongated mouth-masks, and also to the
Mexican Eecatl, a form of Quetzalcoatl. I think therefore that he is
more likely a god of wind, a deity who would necessarily be closely
connected with the rain- and thunder-gods. But though he may be the
Maya parallel of Quetzalcoatl in the form of Eecatl, I do not think
that he is to be identified with Kukulkan. This statement may not seem
to follow from what I have said before, but I hope to make it clear
later. Among the Quiché we have Kanel (or Xkanel), Xcacau, and Xtoh as
gods of fertility, and among the Kakchiquel, Kanel also. It is further
to be noted that another name of Hobnil is Kanal Bacab. Hunting- and
fishing-gods existed among the Yucatec, but nothing is known of them
save their names; the hunting-deities were Akanum, Zuhuyzip, and Tabai,
the fishing, Ahcitz, Ahkak Nexoi, Ahpua and Amalcum. As gods of the
arts we have Itzamna, the supposed inventor of letters, Ixchebelyax,
goddess of embroidery and painting, a Maya counterpart of Xochiquetzal,
Ixazalvoh, goddess of weaving, Pizlimtec and Xochbitum, gods of singing
(like Xochipilli and Macuilxochitl), and Htubhtum a god of gems.
There appear to have been four war-deities, Hunpiktok, Ahchuykak,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account