To that end, Mayans possibly made the pilgrimage across the Caribbean in ceremonial canoes to one of her temples on the Cozumel Island -currently the ruins at San Gervasio. Historically, the eminence of the deity as one of the important goddesses can be discerned from her portrayals in artworks and cult centers. In this aspect, she was associated with both lunar cycles and rabbits and was often given epithets like Ixik Uh (‘Lady Moon’). Interestingly enough, much like her aforementioned male-counterpart Itzamna, Ix Chel, in the mythical narrative, was known for her dual aspect.įor example, Ix Chel as Goddess I was represented as a young and beautiful seductress who espouses fertility, marriage, and love. Often termed the ‘Lady Rainbow’, the goddess is associated with the moon, weather, fertility, children, and health. 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 Period, circa 250 – 1550 AD). To that end, Itzamna is also called by other names, including Kukulkan (feathered serpent deity), and is represented as a two-headed serpent or even as a hybrid creature with both human and lizard (or caiman) like features. Interestingly enough, in terms of etymology, Itzamna means ‘lizard’ or ‘big fish’ in the Mayan language, with the prefix Itz also alluding to divinity, foretelling, and even witchcraft in other associated Mesoamerican languages. And talking of relations, Itzamna is also identified as the husband (counterpart) to Ix Chel (or Goddess O) – and together they were venerated as the couple that gave birth to an entire generation of powerful gods. Simply put, he was perceived as a cultural hero who laid down the foundations of a civilization that was to flourish later. This suggests that mythically, Itzamna also played his part in creating human beings. 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. In some instances, he is presented as the son of the mighty yet capricious creator god Hunab Ku who brought about floods to end the race of humans. To that end, he was often portrayed as a toothless old man with an amiable demeanor, hooked nose, large eyes, and a cylindrical hat – alluding to his leadership qualities. In the mythical narrative, his rulership over these vast (and seemingly contrasting) domains is ‘powered’ by innate and even arcane knowledge, as opposed to supernatural strength and unquestioned royalty. Itzamna (Itzamná 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. Also, note that in scholarly texts many of the gods and goddesses of the vast Maya pantheon have their letter-based designations (like God B or God D). It was later transcribed and translated to Spanish in the early 18th century. Other sources include the Popol Vuh, a sacred Maya text that covers the creation myths and other related lore of the Kʼicheʼ people, who inhabited the Guatemalan Highlands. The major sources pertain to the Madrid Codex and the Dresden Codex – two of the pre-Columbian Mayan books dating from circa 900-1550 AD. In any case, in this article, we will aim to cover some of the major Mayan gods and goddesses who were venerated across most city-states. In essence, the deities of the Maya pantheon were treated as supernatural entities, who while being powerful, could also be tricked and even killed by the cunning mortals. To that end, it is estimated that the Mayans worshipped over 150 to 250 deities, with some having older Mesoamerican origins while others ‘conceived’ during the Late Postclassic Period (i.e., after circa 900 AD till the early 16th century).įurthermore, interestingly enough, the Mayan religion didn’t accord many Mayan gods with ‘godly’ characteristics (for the most part). This was partly due to the autonomous state of numerous Mayan city-states – many of which tended to venerate their ‘localized’ deities (much like the Mesopotamians). Such a complicated state of myths and polytheistic mode of worshipping certain gods were even more pronounced in the Mayan culture. Simply put, the deities and their narratives evolved with time. Hindu Goddess Maya - Hindu Goddess of Illusions and DreamsĪs we have discussed previously in many of our mythology-covering articles, the pantheons of most historical cultures were dynamic rather than static.
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