DOCSLIB.ORG

Susan Milbrath

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Susan Milbrath STAR GODS OF THE MAYA THE LINDA SCHELE SERIES IN MAYA AND PRE-COLUMBIAN STUDIES This series was made possible through the generosity of the National Endowment for the Humanities and the following donors: Elliot M. Abrams and AnnCorinne Freter Judith M. Maxwell Anthony Alofsin Joseph Orr Joseph W. Ball and Jennifer T. Taschek The Patterson Foundation William A. Bartlett John M. D. Pohl Elizabeth P. Benson Mary Anna Prentice Boeing Gift Matching Program Philip Ray William W. Bottorff Louise L. Saxon Victoria Bricker David M. and Linda R. Schele Robert S. Carlsen Richard Shiff Frank N. Carroll Ralph E. Smith Roger J. Cooper Barbara L. Stark Susan Glenn Penny J. Steinbach John F. Harris Carolyn Tate Peter D. Harrison Barbara and Dennis Tedlock Joan A. Holladay Nancy Troike Marianne J. Huber Donald W. Tuff JaÅnis Indrikis Javier Urcid The Institute for Mesoamerican Studies Barbara Voorhies Anna Lee Kahn E. Michael Whittington Rex and Daniela Koontz Sally F. Wiseley, M.D. Christopher and Sally Lutz Judson Wood, Jr. STAR GODS OF THE MAYA Astronomy in Art, Folklore, and Calendars Susan Milbrath University of Texas Press Austin Copyright q 1999 by the University of Texas Press All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America First edition, 1999 Requests for permission to reproduce material from this work should be sent to Permissions, University of Texas Press, Box 7819, Austin, TX 78713-7819. j` The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information SciencesÐPermanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1984. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Milbrath, Susan. Star gods of the Maya : astronomy in art, folklore, and calendars / Susan Milbrath. Ð 1st ed. p. cm. Ð (The Linda Schele series in Maya and pre-Columbian studies) Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 0-292-75225-3 (hardcover : alk. paper) ISBN 0-292-75226-1 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Maya astronomy. 2. MayasÐReligion. 3. Maya calendar. I. Title. II. Series. F1435.3C14 M55 1999 5208.972Ðddc21 99-6136 TO MY PARENTS, MARIANO, AND MARK CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 1 2. NAKED-EYE ASTRONOMY 44 The Mesoamerican Calendar 2 Tracking the Solar Seasons 44 Decipherment of Maya Glyphs 8 Lunar Positions and Phases 47 Archaeoastronomy and Ethnoastronomy 8 Eclipses 48 Overview of Contents 9 The Planets 50 The Stars and the Seasons 55 1. CONTEMPORARY MAYA IMAGES OF THE HEAVENS 12 3. PRECOLUMBIAN AND COLONIAL The Seasonal Cycle 12 PERIOD MAYA SOLAR IMAGES 58 The Solar Calendar 15 The Seasonal Cycle and the Solar Calendar 59 Modern Maya Cosmic Diagrams 17 Solar Orientations in Architecture 65 How the Sun Moves and Transforms 21 The Sun in Precolumbian Maya Cosmic The Sun God 23 Diagrams 70 Images of Eclipses 25 Concepts of the Sun's Motion 74 The Lunar Rhythms 27 The Precolumbian Kin Glyph 78 Lunar Agriculture 30 The Sun God in the Colonial and Postclassic The Celestial Pair 31 Periods 79 The Moon Goddess 31 The Sun God at ChicheÂn ItzaÂ82 Venus among the Contemporary Maya 34 The Sun King 83 The Planets among the Contemporary Maya 36 Classic Maya Images of the Sun God and Earlier Prototypes 87 Stars and Constellations 37 The Monkey's Sun 92 The Milky Way 40 Solar Birds and Solar Fire 94 Other Celestial Phenomena 41 The Sun and Felines 95 Contemporary Maya Astronomy in Cultural Context 42 Hunahpu and Hun Ahau 96 GIII: The Sun as the Middle Brother 100 The Sun in the Precolumbian Maya Worldview 103 CONTENTS vii 4. PRECOLUMBIAN AND COLONIAL 5. VENUS AND MERCURY: PERIOD LUNAR IMAGES AND THE BODY DOUBLES 157 DEITIES 105 Venus Observations among the Precolumbian Lunar Calendars 106 Maya 157 Colonial and Postclassic Eclipse Imagery 111 Venus in the Popol Vuh 159 The Dresden Codex Eclipse Table 113 Colonial and Postclassic Images of Venus 160 Classic Period Eclipse Imagery and Events 115 The Dresden Codex Venus Pages 163 Maya Moon Glyphs and Symbols 117 The Layout of Pages 46 ±50 170 Lunar Symbolism of Fish, Frogs, Toads, and The Seasonal Aspects of Venus 173 Shells 119 Regents and Victims in the Venus Pages 174 The Moon and Rabbits 119 Quetzalcoatl-Kukulcan: The Venus God from The Water-lily Jaguar 120 Central Mexico 177 The Jaguar War God 124 Central Mexican Venus Symbols in the Maya Area 186 The Jaguar Paddler: The Moon Paired with the Sun 126 Maya Glyphs and Symbols Representing Venus 187 The Lunar Twin: Xbalanque 130 Venus Warfare 193 The Classic Period Moon God in Monumental Art 135 Lineage Founders and the Venus Cult 196 The Young Moon Goddess in Colonial and Tlaloc and the Storm God 197 Postclassic Times 138 Chac and God B in Colonial and Postclassic The Aged Moon Goddess in Colonial and YucataÂn 199 Postclassic Times 141 Classic Period Images of Chac 204 The Moon in the Postclassic Murals at Chac and GI in the Classic Period 205 Tulum 147 The Sidereal Position of Venus 209 Lunar Deities at ChicheÂn Itza 148 Venus and the Moon 211 The Classic Maya Moon Goddess 150 Mercury in Maya Imagery and Calendrics 214 The Ever-changing Moon 155 The Inferior Planets in the Maya Worldview 216 viii CONTENTS 6. THE CELESTIAL WANDERERS 218 APPENDIX 1. Guide to Astronomical Identities 295 Colonial Period Images of the Superior Planets 218 Mars among the Precolumbian Maya 219 APPENDIX 2. Table of Classic Period Dates, Monkey Deities and the Planets 223 Monuments, and Associated Astronomical Events 296 God K in the Colonial and Postclassic Periods 227 The Classic Period God K and GII 231 APPENDIX 3. Table for Calculating the Jupiter Events and God K on Classic Maya Tzolkin Intervals 306 Monuments 233 Classic Period Calendar Records Relating to the GLOSSARY 309 Superior Planets 240 Assembly of the Gods 244 BIBLIOGRAPHY 313 The Celestial Wanderers as Planetary Gods 247 INDEX 339 7. STARS, THE MILKY WAY, COMETS, AND METEORS 249 PLATES following page 348 Comets, Meteors, and Supernovas 250 Images of Stars 251 The Maya Zodiac 254 The Pleiades 258 The Scorpion and Skeletal Snake Constellations 264 Orion and Gemini 266 The Peccary Constellation 268 Bird Constellations 269 Cross Constellations and Stellar Trees 270 The North Star and the ``Dippers'' 273 Central Mexican Images of the Milky Way 274 The Cosmic Monster and the Milky Way 275 Serpent Forms of the Milky Way 282 Four Roads in the Sky and Four Itzamnas 283 Classic Period Monuments with Images of the Milky Way 285 Rotating the Milky Way 288 The Maya in the History of World Astronomy 291 STAR GODS OF THE MAYA THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK INTRODUCTION Astronomy in ancient Mesoamerica was not an abstract science; indeed, it was an integral part of daily life, and so it remains today in the more traditional Maya communities. In Precolumbian times, astronomy played a central role in calendars and religious imagery. Art images and companion texts provide keys to understand- ing the thought processes of the ancient Maya. Rather than focusing on scienti®c accuracy, many of the best documented astronomical images seem primarily con- cerned with divination. Maya astronomy is really astrology (Thompson 1972:77), but not in the sense of personal horoscopes. The astrological texts in the codices often deal with cycles of illness, the fate of crops, and weather. We may dismiss them as fanciful, but there is a similar folk tradition in our Old Farmer's Almanac. People today often cannot appreciate why astronomy played such an important role in ancient civilizations. For many of us, supplying our own food means cashing a paycheck and going to the grocery store. Our indoor environments insulate us from the more profound effects of the seasonal cycle. Our calendars tell us when the seasons will change, and we feel no need to watch the sun and stars as they follow their seasonal course. Indeed, it is often dif®cult to see the night sky. Light pollution follows electricity, dimming the spectacular beauty of the stars. Astronomical gods form the core of the Precolumbian Maya pantheon. In the past, some Mayanists have suggested that the Maya did not worship gods; rather they believed in spiritual forces. Karl Taube (1992b:7±8) refutes this position in his study of the Maya pantheon. Stephen Houston and David Stuart (1996:295) point out that Classic period Maya rulers claimed divine status by using the names of gods as their personal names. And Patricia McAnany (1995a) shows that posthumous royal portraits depict rulers merged with gods. As the most highly developed ancient civilization in all of the Americas, the Maya had a sophisticated astronomy that was integrated with their religion. Like the an- cient Greeks, Romans, Hindus, Chinese, Mesopotamians, and Egyptians, the Maya believed that the celestial luminaries were gods who in¯uenced human destiny and controlled events on earth. Whether Maya artworks show rulers dressed up as gods or the gods themselves is sometimes debatable, but there is no question that the star gods were invoked in Maya art for more than a thousand years. Precolumbian art, calendric cycles, and modern folklore can be integrated to tell the story of Maya astronomy, placing the Maya in their proper position as one of the great civilizations of antiquity. The Maya live in an area bounded by the YucataÂn Peninsula to the north, the 2 INTRODUCTION state of Chiapas to the west, and the area bordering The 260-day calendar was used to prognosticate hu- El Salvador and Honduras to the southeast (Pl. 1). man destiny according to the day of birth and to pre- Numerous Maya language groups exist today, as in dict the appropriate days for the planting cycle.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Ken Follett, the Renowned Author Whose Novels Have Topped Best Seller Lists in the US As Well As Internationally
    >> This is Matt Raymond at the Library of Congress. For the past nine years, book lovers of all ages have gathered in Washington DC to celebrate reading at the Library of Congress's National Book Festival. This year, the Library is proud to commemorate a decade of words and wonder at the tenth annual National Book Festival on September twenty fifth, 2010. President and Missus Obama are honorary chairs of the event, which provides DC locals and visitors from across the country and around the world the opportunity to see and meet their favorite authors, illustrators, and poets. The festival is free and open to the public. It's held between third and seventh streets from 10 am to 5 30 pm rain or shine. And joining me now is Ken Follett, the renowned author whose novels have topped best seller lists in the US as well as internationally. His latest work, Fall of Giants, comes out on September twenty eighth, just a few days after the National Book Festival. It's the first book of the Century Trilogy, a series that will chronicle twentieth century history through the stories of five families. While some have deemed the Century Trilogy to be Follett's most ambitious project to date, his prior work has been both prolific and wildly popular. He's perhaps most well known for his novel, Pillars of the Earth. Several of his books have been adapted for both the big and the small screens. Mister Follett, it's a pleasure to have you with us today. >> Thanks for having me on the show.
    [Show full text]
  • MAYA GLYPHS – Book 2
    Maya Numbers & TTTheThe Maya Calendar A Non-Technical Introduction to MAYA GLYPHS – Book 2 by Mark Pitts Maya Numbers and Maya Calendar by Mark Pitts © Mark Pitts 2009 This book is dedicated to the Maya people living today in Mesoamerica. Title Page: A Maya glyph signifying10 periods of about 20 years each, or about 200 years. From Palenque, Mexico. 2 Book 22:::: Maya Numbers & TTTheThe Maya Calendar A Non-Technical Introduction to MAYA GLYPHS Table of Contents 3 Book 2: Maya Numbers and the Maya Calendar CHAPTER 1 – WRITING NUMBERS WITH BARS AND DOTS • The Basics: The Number Zero and Base 20 • Numbers Greater Than 19 • Numbers Greater Than 399 • Numbers Greater Than 7999 CHAPTER 2 - WRITING NUMBERS WITH GLYPHS • Maya Head Glyphs • The Number 20 CHAPTER 3 – THE SACRED AND CIVIL CALENDAR OF THE MAYA • Overview of the Maya Calendar • An Example • The Sacred Calendar and Sacred Year (Tzolk’in) • The Civil Calendar and Civil Year (Haab) • The Calendar Round CHAPTER 4 - COUNTING TIME THROUGH THE AGES • The Long Count • How to Write a Date in Maya Glyphs • Reading Maya Dates • The Lords of the Night • Time and The Moon • Putting It All Together Appendix 1 – Special Days in the Sacred Year Appendix 2 – Maya Dates for 2004 4 Appendix 3 – Haab Patrons for Introductory Glyphs Resources Online Bibliography Sources of Illustrations Endnotes 5 Chapter 111.1. Writing Numbers wwwithwithithith Bars and Dots A Maya glyph from Copán that denotes 15 periods of about 20 years each, or about 300 years. 6 THE BASICS: THE NUMBER ZERO AND BASE 20 The ancient Maya created a civilization that was outstanding in many ways.
    [Show full text]
  • With the Protection of the Gods: an Interpretation of the Protector Figure in Classic Maya Iconography
    University of Central Florida STARS Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2004-2019 2012 With The Protection Of The Gods: An Interpretation Of The Protector Figure In Classic Maya Iconography Tiffany M. Lindley University of Central Florida Part of the Anthropology Commons Find similar works at: https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etd University of Central Florida Libraries http://library.ucf.edu This Masters Thesis (Open Access) is brought to you for free and open access by STARS. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2004-2019 by an authorized administrator of STARS. For more information, please contact [email protected]. STARS Citation Lindley, Tiffany M., "With The Protection Of The Gods: An Interpretation Of The Protector Figure In Classic Maya Iconography" (2012). Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2004-2019. 2148. https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etd/2148 WITH THE PROTECTION OF THE GODS: AN INTERPRETATION OF THE PROTECTOR FIGURE IN CLASSIC MAYA ICONOGRAPHY by TIFFANY M. LINDLEY B.A. University of Alabama, 2009 A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in the Department of Anthropology in the College of Sciences at the University of Central Florida Orlando, Florida Spring Term 2012 © 2012 Tiffany M. Lindley ii ABSTRACT Iconography encapsulates the cultural knowledge of a civilization. The ancient Maya of Mesoamerica utilized iconography to express ideological beliefs, as well as political events and histories. An ideology heavily based on the presence of an Otherworld is visible in elaborate Maya iconography. Motifs and themes can be manipulated to convey different meanings based on context.
    [Show full text]
  • Barbara and Dennis Tedlock
    BREAKING THE MAYA CODE Transcript of filmed interview Complete interview transcripts at www.nightfirefilms.org BARBARA AND DENNIS TEDLOCK Interviewed February 11-12 2005 in the weaving workshop of Angel Xiloj, Momostenango, Guatemala BARBARA TEDLOCK is an anthropologist and ethnographer whose work has focused on the Zuni of the American Southwest and the Maya of Highland Guatemala. She is the author of The Beautiful and the Dangerous: Encounters with the Zuni Indians, Time and the Highland Maya, and The Woman in the Shaman’s Body. DENNIS TEDLOCK has devoted his career as a poet, translator and anthropologist to the understanding and dissemination of native American literature. He is the author of the Finding the Center: the Art of the Zuni Storyteller, Breath on the Mirror: Mythic Voices and Visions of the Living Maya and numerous other books, and is translator and editor of Popol Vuh: The Mayan Book of the Dawn of Life. The Tedlocks teach at the State University of New York at Buffalo, where Barbara is Distinguished Professor of Anthropology and Dennis is the McNulty Professor of English and Research Professor of Anthropology. In this interview, the Tedlocks discuss: The creation and preservation of texts in the Maya region after the Spanish Conquest The Popol Vuh The Rabinal Achi dance drama The 260 day Tzolkin calendar The role of the daykeeper in a Highland Maya community The religious and political structure of the town of Momostenango The ceremonial day Wajxaqib Batz The importance of books for the modern Maya The role
    [Show full text]
  • Panthéon Maya
    Liste des divinités et des démons de la mythologie des mayas. Les noms sont tirés du Popol Vuh des Mayas Quichés, des livres de Chilam Balam et de Diego de Landa ainsi que des divers codex. Divinité Dieu Déesse Démon Monstre Animal Humain AB KIN XOC Dieu de poésie. ACAN Dieu des boissons fermentées et de l'ivresse. ACANTUN Quatre démons associés à une couleur et à un point cardinal. Ils sont présents lors du nouvel an maya et lors des cérémonies de sculpture des statues. ACAT Dieu des tatouages. AH CHICUM EK Autre nom de Xamen Ek. AH CHUY KAKA Dieu de la guerre connu sous le nom du "destructeur de feu". AH CUN CAN Dieu de la guerre connu comme le "charmeur de serpents". AH KINCHIL Dieu solaire (voir Kinich Ahau). AHAU CHAMAHEZ Un des deux dieux de la médecine. AHMAKIQ Dieu de l'agriculture qui enferma le vent quand il menaçait de détruire les récoltes. AH MUNCEN CAB Dieu du miel et des abeilles sans dard; il est patron des apiculteurs. AH MUN Dieu du maïs et de la végétation. AH PEKU Dieu du Tonnerre. AH PUCH ou AH CIMI ou AH CIZIN Dieu de la Mort qui régnait sur le Metnal, le neuvième niveau de l'inframonde. AH RAXA LAC DMieu de lYa Terre.THOLOGICA.FR AH RAXA TZEL Dieu du ciel AH TABAI Dieu de la Chasse. AH UUC TICAB Dieu de la Terre. 1 AHAU CHAMAHEZ Dieu de la Médecine et de la Guérison. AHAU KIN voir Kinich Ahau. AHOACATI Dieu de la Fertilité AHTOLTECAT Dieu des orfèvres.
    [Show full text]
  • Bibliography
    Bibliography Many books were read and researched in the compilation of Binford, L. R, 1983, Working at Archaeology. Academic Press, The Encyclopedic Dictionary of Archaeology: New York. Binford, L. R, and Binford, S. R (eds.), 1968, New Perspectives in American Museum of Natural History, 1993, The First Humans. Archaeology. Aldine, Chicago. HarperSanFrancisco, San Francisco. Braidwood, R 1.,1960, Archaeologists and What They Do. Franklin American Museum of Natural History, 1993, People of the Stone Watts, New York. Age. HarperSanFrancisco, San Francisco. Branigan, Keith (ed.), 1982, The Atlas ofArchaeology. St. Martin's, American Museum of Natural History, 1994, New World and Pacific New York. Civilizations. HarperSanFrancisco, San Francisco. Bray, w., and Tump, D., 1972, Penguin Dictionary ofArchaeology. American Museum of Natural History, 1994, Old World Civiliza­ Penguin, New York. tions. HarperSanFrancisco, San Francisco. Brennan, L., 1973, Beginner's Guide to Archaeology. Stackpole Ashmore, w., and Sharer, R. J., 1988, Discovering Our Past: A Brief Books, Harrisburg, PA. Introduction to Archaeology. Mayfield, Mountain View, CA. Broderick, M., and Morton, A. A., 1924, A Concise Dictionary of Atkinson, R J. C., 1985, Field Archaeology, 2d ed. Hyperion, New Egyptian Archaeology. Ares Publishers, Chicago. York. Brothwell, D., 1963, Digging Up Bones: The Excavation, Treatment Bacon, E. (ed.), 1976, The Great Archaeologists. Bobbs-Merrill, and Study ofHuman Skeletal Remains. British Museum, London. New York. Brothwell, D., and Higgs, E. (eds.), 1969, Science in Archaeology, Bahn, P., 1993, Collins Dictionary of Archaeology. ABC-CLIO, 2d ed. Thames and Hudson, London. Santa Barbara, CA. Budge, E. A. Wallis, 1929, The Rosetta Stone. Dover, New York. Bahn, P.
    [Show full text]
  • The Maya Vase Book
    THE MAYA VASE BOOK THE HERO lWINS : MYfH AND IMAGE MICHAEL D. COE BACKGROUND heroes are inextricablywoven with those over his shoulders. After he had been ofgods, but also the charters for the elite duly baptized, and a Christian mass sung, I have been long puzzled by the curious groups which ruled these andent socie­ the K'ekchf drama began, to the sound of absence of any but the most cursory ties. Even today, throughout the Hindu­ shell trumpets, turtle carapaces, and other references to the Popol Yuh, the sacred Buddhist world of South and Southeast instruments. This was the Dance of bookoftheQuiche Maya, inEricThompson's Asia, the dynastic struggles of the Ma­ Hunahpu and Xbalanque, the Hero Twins, greatand encyclopedic Introduction to the habharata and the royal adventures of and theirdefeatofthe Lordsofthe Under­ Study oJ the Maya Hieroglyphs U950 and the Ramayana come alive in numberless world, Xibalba. latereditions). Surelyhemusthave noted shadow-puppet plays and ballets per­ the striking fact that in both Quiche and formed in both villages and royal courts. The performance opened with the ap­ Ixil, thenamefor the dayAhau, last ofthe Indeed, the actions ofKing Rama and his pearnnce oftwo youths in the plaza, wearing twentynamed days in the 260-daycount, monkey army in winning back his queen tight-fitting garments and great black is Hunahpu -- first-born ofthe Hero Twins. are as alive to Balinese children as events masks with horns. They proceeded to a Thompson was in many respects the ofmodern Indonesian political history. platform covered with clean mats and greatest Mayanist of all, with a deep adorned with artlfidal trees; a small knowledge of mythology and ethnohis­ Similar dramatic performances almost brushpile covered a hidden exit.
    [Show full text]
  • On the Origin of the Different Mayan Calendars Thomas Chanier
    On the origin of the different Mayan Calendars Thomas Chanier To cite this version: Thomas Chanier. On the origin of the different Mayan Calendars. 2014. hal-01018037v1 HAL Id: hal-01018037 https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01018037v1 Submitted on 3 Jul 2014 (v1), last revised 14 Jan 2015 (v3) HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. On the origin of the different Mayan Calendars T. Chanier∗1 1 Department of Physics, University of Namur, rue de Bruxelles 61, B-5000 Namur, Belgium The Maya were known for their astronomical proficiency. Whereas Mayan mathematics were based on a vigesimal system, they used a different base when dealing with long periods of time, the Long Count Calendar (LCC), composed of different Long Count Periods: the Tun of 360 days, the Katun of 7200 days and the Baktun of 144000 days. There were three other calendars used in addition to the LCC: a civil year Haab’ of 365 days, a religious year Tzolk’in of 260 days and a 3276- day cycle (combination of the 819-day Kawil cycle and 4 colors-directions). Based on astronomical arguments, we propose here an explanation of the origin of the LCC, the Tzolk’in and the 3276-day cycle.
    [Show full text]
  • H. Braakhuis Artificers of the Days: Functions of the Howler Monkey Gods Among the Mayas
    H. Braakhuis Artificers of the days: Functions of the howler monkey gods among the Mayas In: Bijdragen tot de Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde 143 (1987), no: 1, Leiden, 25-53 This PDF-file was downloaded from http://www.kitlv-journals.nl Downloaded from Brill.com10/01/2021 08:43:37PM via free access H. E. M. BRAAKHUIS ARTIFICERS OF THE DAYS: FUNCTIONS OF THE HOWLER MONKEY GODS AMONG THE MAY AS* Car j'installe, par la science, L'hymne des coeurs spirituels En 1'oeuvre de ma patience, Atlas, herbiers et rituels. (Mallarmé, ProsepourDes Esseintes) 1. INTRODUCTION In his study entitled 'Supernatural Patrons of Maya Scribes and Artists', M. D. Coe has been able to establish that the gods Hun Batz and Hun Choven, 'One Howler Monkey' and 'One Artisan', repeatedly occur as the subjects of funerary vase representations, dating from the Late Classic period (600-900 A.D.) of Mayan civilization. An important sixteenth-century Quiché-Mayan source, the Popol Vuh, presents these deities as the malicious elder stepbrothers of its heroes, Hunahpu, 'One Blowgunner', and his companion Xbalanque. In accordance with some of their functions in the Popol Vuh, the simians, or figures substituted for them, are depicted in the acts of writing and carving. In 1981, the article of M. D. Coe was followed by a chapter on scribes in the catalogue raisonné of codex-style vase paintings published by F. Robicsek and D. M. Hales. Although adding quite a few pictures of Howler Monkeys and other writing and carving gods, the authors did not present any new points of view but stayed within the confines of Coe's earlier explanations.
    [Show full text]
  • The Mayan Gods: an Explanation from the Structures of Thought
    Journal of Historical Archaeology & Anthropological Sciences Review Article Open Access The Mayan gods: an explanation from the structures of thought Abstract Volume 3 Issue 1 - 2018 This article explains the existence of the Classic and Post-classic Mayan gods through Laura Ibarra García the cognitive structure through which the Maya perceived and interpreted their world. Universidad de Guadalajara, Mexico This structure is none other than that built by every member of the human species during its early ontogenesis to interact with the outer world: the structure of action. Correspondence: Laura Ibarra García, Centro Universitario When this scheme is applied to the world’s interpretation, the phenomena in it and de Ciencias Sociales, Mexico, Tel 523336404456, the world as a whole appears as manifestations of a force that lies behind or within Email [email protected] all of them and which are perceived similarly to human subjects. This scheme, which finds application in the Mayan worldview, helps to understand the personality and Received: August 30, 2017 | Published: February 09, 2018 character of figures such as the solar god, the rain god, the sky god, the jaguar god and the gods of Venus. The application of the cognitive schema as driving logic also helps to understand the Maya established relationships between some animals, such as the jaguar and the rattlesnake and the highest deities. The study is part of the pioneering work that seeks to integrate the study of cognition development throughout history to the understanding of the historical and cultural manifestations of our country, especially of the Pre-Hispanic cultures.
    [Show full text]
  • A-Commentary-On-Isaiah.Pdf
    A Commentary on Isaiah Lewis P. Hussell AuthorHouse™ 1663 Liberty Drive Bloomington, IN 47403 www.authorhouse.com Phone: 1-800-839-8640 © 2013 Lewis P. Hussell. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author. Published by AuthorHouse 12/14/2012 ISBN: 978-1-4772-9427-7 (sc) ISBN: 978-1-4772-9426-0 (hc) ISBN: 978-1-4772-9428-4 (e) Library of Congress Control Number: 2012923581 Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only. Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock. This book is printed on acid-free paper. Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them. Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible. BACKGROUND INFORMATION Isaiah wrote during the stormy period marking the expansion of the Assyrian empire and the decline of Israel. Under King Tiglath-Pileser III (745-727 B.C.) the Assyrians swept westward into Aram (Syria) and Canaan. About 733 the kings of Aram and Israel tried to pressure Ahaz king of Judah into joining a coalition against Assyria. Ahaz chose instead to ask Tiglath-Pileser for help, a decision condemned by Isaiah (see note on 7:1).
    [Show full text]
  • The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
    The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett You're readind a preview The Pillars of the Earth ebook. To get able to download The Pillars of the Earth you need to fill in the form and provide your personal information. Book available on iOS, Android, PC & Mac. Unlimited books*. Accessible on all your screens. *Please Note: We cannot guarantee that every file is in the library. But if You are still not sure with the service, you can choose FREE Trial service. Book Details: Review: I once read an interview by one of my favorite indie authors, Matt Schiariti, and he listed this book as his all time favorite. I bought this book later on this year, but put off reading it because IT IS OVER 1000 PAGES - OH MAI GAWD!But, wanting to look cool I decided to give it a try. Honestly, it didnt sound like anything Id be interested in.... Original title: The Pillars of the Earth 943 pages Publisher: William Morrow (1989) Language: English ISBN-10: 0688046592 ISBN-13: 978-0688046590 ASIN: B0084QSM7U Package Dimensions:8.3 x 5.6 x 2 inches File Format: PDF File Size: 4402 kB Book File Tags: ken follett pdf, pillars of the earth pdf, historical fiction pdf, edge of eternity pdf, civil rights pdf, well written pdf, middle ages pdf, century trilogy pdf, berlin wall pdf, character development pdf, ever read pdf, cold war pdf, ken follet pdf, highly recommend pdf, building a cathedral pdf, books in the trilogy pdf, world without pdf, without end pdf, years ago pdf, story line Description: Dust jacket notes: Ken Follett is known worldwide as the master of split-second suspense, but his most beloved and bestselling book tells the magnificent tale of a twelfth-century monk driven to do the seemingly impossible: build the greatest Gothic cathedral the world has ever known.
    [Show full text]