Maya Religion

Maya God. The religion of the ancient Maya may be reconstructed from the monumental art of the ceremonial centers, from pre-Columbian manuscripts such as the Dresden Codex, from early native documents prepared by Spanish-educated Mayas, from sixteenth century accounts of Spanish priests, and from modern residues of the old religion, which still exist in the context of local Catholic Christianity.

Pervading the old Maya religion was the idea of man’s depending on the Gods. The Gods, in their ordered universe, could be conciliated or won over, however, by prayer, fasting, and propitiation. Maya gods pertained primarily to time, to the cosmos and to agriculture. They were often conceived of as coming in sets of four, or being, in effect, four beings in one, a concept related to the four cardinal directions.

A powerful god, perhaps a sort of supreme deity, was designated as the “Long-nosed God” or, in the terminology of Paul Schellas, “God B of the codices”. This deity was represented as a man with a long, proboscis-like, pendant nose and a tongue (or teeth or fangs) hanging out in front or at the sides of the mouth. He was fashioned in contexts and with attributes of power and the natural elements, such as fire and rain. Frequently, he was associated with the serpent – arising from the serpent’s open jaws or having the body of a serpent. This “God B” or “Long-nosed God” may have been the equivalent of Kukulcan, of the historic Mayas, and of the Central Mexican Quetzalcoatl. Perhaps another name for him was Itzamna, the lord of creation and the founder of civilization.

Although “God B”, Kukulcan, or Itzamna probably presided over the heavens and was the bringer of live-giving rain, the Maya pantheon included other rain gods as well, called Chacs. These gods also had snake-like attributes or associations, and they were usually conceived of in sets of four. Quite possibly they were older, simpler forms of the “God B” concept, or it may be that they were regarded as “assistants” or “workers” who were carrying out the will of the higher deity in providing rain.

Other deities included the maize god, a handsome young man who often appeared as an anthropomorphized ear of corn on a maize plant; “God G”, the sun god, portrayed as a grotesque old man; “God A”, a skeletal “Lord of Death”; and another old man, “God D”, who may be the representation to be identified with Itzamna rather than God B; and the moon and maternity goddess, Ixchel.

Inasmuch as Maya hieroglyphic writing has not been completely translated, much of which they obviously have to tell us about the old Classic Period Maya religion remains unknown; and our understanding of Maya deities and supernatural beliefs has come to us through the medium of the late Postclassic and early historic Mexican-influenced Maya of Yucatan.

A highly organized priesthood, probably hereditary, undoubtedly directed religions, and ceremonial centers, at least in its top ranks. The high priests also presumably played a major role in government. Certainly they were custodians of the esoteric and scientific knowledge of the civilization. They were the astronomers, astrologers, and historians. They understood the hieroglyphic writing and manipulated the complex calendrical system.