Realms of the World
Europeans: world has 2 realms:
The “real”
The supernatural
For Maya, these worlds not separate.
All things have both “real” and
supernatural aspects, including rocks,
minerals, and water.
For Maya, deities were real beings.
Not omnipotent, and could be defeated,
even killed (temporarily?).
Maya Ideology and Cosmology
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World Order
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Time and Order
The “normal” state of world for Maya
would be one of order: predictable
movements of sun, moon, stars
(deities).
Events in human life linked to activity
of sun and planets.
Sun and Venus: most important, as
representatives of Hero Twins in Popol
3
Vuh.
Basic unit of time = kin, or day.
9/27/2004 = 12.19.11.11.13
12 baktuns
19 katuns
11 tuns
11 uinals
13 kin
Kin = Chuwan (monkey)
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Maya and Time
Kin Glyphs
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Important quality of leaders: must
know the rhythm of time.
Time = animate force
Days each have personality and
associations.
Time considered capable of
changing shape and causing disaster,
if people not properly monitor and
respect it.
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1
Religious Duties
Complexity in Ideology
Modern Maya: shamanism
Part-time religious specialists
Ancient Maya: shamanism grew into
something more powerful
Preclassic: shamen had become priests.
Supernatural relations primary job of
ruling elite.
Most powerful priest = Ahau, assisted by
other elites.
Calendar management grew
increasingly complex.
Belief system also grew in concepts of
relationships between stars, planets,
and human affairs.
Classic period: calendar and
astronomy recorded in codices by
priests.
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Public Ceremony
Ceremonies dramatic, engaging.
Incense
Blood sacrifice
Public attendance and viewing
Lady Xoc of
Yaxchilan
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Maya Cosmology
Lady
Eveningstar’s
sacrifice
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Maya believed in sequence of worlds, each
previous one destroyed by flood.
This was the 4th world, for the ancient
Maya.
Earth considered to be a clump on the back
of giant turtle, who swims an eternal sea.
Ciba tree at center – holds up sky and goes
down to Xibalba, the underworld.
Xibalba rotates to the sky at night.
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2
Cosmology
Cosmology
6 Cardinal directions:
East (red – sun rise)
West (black – sun set)
North (white – cold)
South (yellow – warmth)
Zenith (upward)
Nadir (Underworld)
Connections with Underworld important:
Caves: sacred places with connections to
Xibalba.
Rituals conducted in caves; also some
burials.
Cenotes: connections with Xibalba.
Temples: represent sacred mountains
Tombs within: caves leading to Xibalba
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Cosmology and Afterlife
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Entering Xibalba upon Death
Afterlife in Xibalba assumed.
Also place of delights (sacred tree) and
place of suffering (hunger, cold,
torment).
Bishop Landa’s writings source of
this concept; may be Christian
overlay).
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Some deaths ensured trip to Xibalba:
Suicide by hanging
Sacrifice
Warriors killed in battle
Mothers dying in childbirth
Rulers, dying at any time
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Ruler’s Tombs
Tombs of rulers elaborate
Rulers constructed temples to serve
as tomb.
One of most elaborate: Pacal, of
Palenque, and his Temple of
Inscriptions.
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Temple of Inscriptions, Palenque
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3
Pacal of Palenque
Pacal’s sarcophagus
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Maya Deities
Maya recognized numerous deities - probably too numerous even to
identify with any confidence.
Rabbit scribe may have been a deity - some whimsical.
Some deities combined human and
animal attributes.
Pacal’s
sarcophagus lid
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C(God B),
Madrid
Codex
Maya
Deities
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4
Other Deities
Ceremonies
Central purpose of ceremonies: to
promote good life, health, and
prosperity.
Involved rulers and elite class, with
blood sacrifice.
Once drawn, blood smeared on
sculptures in temples, also burned on
paper sheets.
Also recognized 13 deities of the
katuns, or 20 year period.
Each of 19 months also has deity.
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26
Ceremonies
Ceremonies and Divination
Began with purifying fasts and sexual
abstinence.
Burning of incense also important part
of ceremonies.
Turquoise cakes of incense found in
Cenotes.
Drumming, dancing
After ceremony, ritual feasts.
Ruler believed to spiritually enter
Xibalba as part of sacrifice ritual.
While there, would communicate with
deities and ancestors, and relate what
had been learned.
Some psychotropic drugs may also
have been used.
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Ceremonies and Human Sacrifice
Lady Xoc
communes
with Yat
Balam,
dynasty
founder
Human sacrifice also a part of rituals.
Special events: burying dead ruler,
inaugurating a new one, designating
an heir, dedicating a new temple.
Sacrifice done by removing heart.
Color blue associated with sacrifice.
Done by Nacom, while Chacs held
the victim.
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Sacrifice
Occasions for Ceremonies
Another type of sacrifice involved shooting
arrows at victims, first drawing blood to be
placed on the image of the deity, then
aiming for the heart.
Both living victims and dead thrown into
Cenotes in Yucatan.
Items of value also thrown into Cenotes - gold, copper, jade, masks, cups, plates,
knives.
Calendar events were also important
events for ceremonies.
13 katun endings were most
important calendar ceremonies.
Held every 20 years.
Monuments carved, commemorating
the ruler who celebrated it - - useful
for dating Ahau sequences.
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Calendar Ceremonies
New Year ceremonies also celebrated,
for both 260 day year and the 365 day
Haab.
Ceremonial cycles closely observed
by priests, who planned exact days on
which various observances must be
held to keep deities satisfied.
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