The Mayan civilization, a tapestry woven from numerous distinct yet related nations, thrived in Central America, encompassing regions of eastern Mexico and the Yucatan Peninsula, Guatemala, Belize, and parts of Honduras and El Salvador. Their legacy is marked by the construction of an advanced, literate society that flourished during the late Roman Empire and endured for over five centuries. Even after this period, they maintained several sophisticated city-states until the Spanish conquest finally subdued them by the end of the 17th century.
It’s important to recognize that the term "Mayan" refers not to a monolithic people but to a complex grouping of closely related nations, each with its own dialect. The variations between these dialects can be as significant as those between English and Swedish. Consequently, understanding their religious beliefs requires drawing from a diverse range of sources. Among these, the Popol Vuh, a book of creation cosmology written and preserved by the Quiche, a Mayan nation residing in the southern highlands, stands out as a particularly significant source. This text provides invaluable insights into the Mayan worldview and the pantheon of deities that governed their lives. Exploring Mayan Spiritual Mythology offers a glimpse into a rich and complex belief system.
The following is a glimpse into the vast world of Mayan deities, a compilation of known god-forms. Given the sheer number of these entities and the intricate nature of their roles, this list is necessarily concise. A comprehensive examination of each deity would require a monumental work in its own right.
A – Lord of Death: Ruler of the realm of the dead, A presides over the westernmost region, a land inhabited by the bones of his subjects. He is typically depicted with a skull and an obsidian knife, symbols of his dominion over death.
Acan: Patron of drunkenness and the art of brewing Balche, a fermented honey beverage infused with the bark of the Balche tree. Acan embodies the intoxicating and transformative power of this ritual drink.
Acat: Identified as one of the Bacabs, potentially the Bacab of the East, Acat possesses diverse functions. He is revered as the Lord of Tattooing, a significant art form in Mayan society. Additionally, he is considered a Life Spirit, responsible for the growth and proper development of fetuses, highlighting his role in the cycle of life.
Ahau-Chamahez: An enigmatic healer divinity, often referred to as the Lord of the Magic Tooth. The precise nature of his healing powers and the significance of the "magic tooth" remain largely unknown, shrouded in the mysteries of ancient Mayan healing practices.
Ahluic: The god of merchants and ruler of wealth, Ahluic is part of a triad with Chac and Hobnil. He embodies the prosperity and success associated with trade and commerce, essential components of Mayan society.
Ahmucen-Cab: A creator divinity who appears in various tales of the earliest times, although his precise role remains somewhat ambiguous. He is said to have descended from the heavens, scattering seeds and boulders across the newly formed land. However, this creation was later erased by the Bacabs, who initiated a new creation.
Ahpuch: A god of death and the chthonic demon ruler of Mitnal, the ninth and deepest realm of the underworld. Ahpuch represents the darkness and terror associated with death and the underworld, a realm of fear and eternal night.
Ajbit: A creator divinity, one of thirteen who attempted to create sentient beings from wooden models after two previous attempts had failed. Ajbit’s involvement in this creation myth highlights the Mayan belief in the iterative nature of creation and the persistence of the gods in their endeavors.
Ajtzak: Another creator divinity involved in the attempt to form sentient creatures from wood. Ajtzak’s participation in this creation myth underscores the collaborative nature of creation among the Mayan deities.
Akna: A goddess of motherhood and childbirth, associated with the Bacabs. Akna embodies the nurturing and life-giving aspects of motherhood, ensuring the health and well-being of both mother and child.
Alom: A creator divinity who participated in the initial attempts to create sentient beings, alongside Bitol, Qaholom, and Tzacol. During the third creation, he transformed into Hunahpu-Guch. Alom represents the initial creative impulse and the transformative power of the divine.
Backlum Chaam: One of the Bacabs, known as the Lord of male sexuality, invariably depicted with the appropriate attribute. Backlum Chaam embodies the vital force of male sexuality and its role in procreation and the continuation of life.
B’alam: The Jaguar God, a dweller in the forest and Lord of the Wild. B’alam is primarily described in Quiche sources, representing the untamed power and mystery of the natural world.
The B’alams: A group of four entities who, in Quiche tradition, are the progenitors of humankind. Initially godlike beings created by Gucumatz, Huracan, and Tepeu from stalks of maize to govern the four quadrants of the earth, they were granted the ability to see all things. This power aroused the jealousy of other divinities, who clouded their vision and reduced them to human form. They are B’alam Agab (Night Jaguar), B’alam Quitze (Smiling Jaguar), Iqi B’alam (Dark Jaguar), and Mahucatah (Not Right Now).
The Bacabs: A set of divinities, typically considered to be four in number, representing the successful attempt to construct the world as we know it after previous failures. They are creator gods and primarily serve as Lords of the Winds, each seated at a corner of the world and holding up the sky. They are depicted as immense, iguana-like entities and are intimately linked to four-part divisions and symbolic orderings. The diverse accounts of these entities across Mayan society reveal inconsistencies, which are addressed in individual descriptions of Cauac, Ik, Kan, and Mulac. Other spirits associated with the Bacabs include Acat, Akna, Backlum Chaam, and Chin.
Bitol: A creator divinity involved in the initial attempts to form sentient creatures alongside Alom, Qaholom, and Tzacol. In the third creation, he transformed into Ixmacane.
Camalotz: A demon servitor of Alom, whose name means "Sudden-Bloodletter." He assisted in the destruction of the Second Creation by beheading most of the Tsabol-People who inhabited that world.
Camazotz: A Demon Bat-God dwelling in Xibalba, the Mayan hell. A blood-feeder resembling the indigenous vampire bat, he clawed the head off of Hun Hunahpu but was ultimately defeated and cast out of creation.
Caprakan: A demon spirit of earthquakes, the son of Gucup Cakix and brother of Zipacna. He was defeated by Hunahpu and Ixbalanque.
Cauac: One of the principal Bacabs, regarded as the Upholder of the South. He represents the beginning of the year and the first quarter of the 260-day religious calendar cycle (the Tsolk’in). His color symbol is typically red, although some sources indicate blue or even yellow.
Chac: An important weather divinity, the Lord of the Rains, associated with wells, springs, and other water sources. By extension, he holds considerable authority over agriculture. He also possesses oracular functions, served by a special temple functionary. He presides over the Chacs, who may be considered extensions of his power. He is also a member of a triad alongside Ah-Kluic and Hobnil. Given the Yucatan’s water-poor environment and unpredictable rain patterns, Chac’s importance is particularly significant.
The Chacs: A group of four lesser weather spirits, servitors of Chac, located at the four corners of the world, closely associated with the Bacabs.
Ch’en: Goddess of the Moon and the first female entity to experience intercourse.
Chin: A death god associated with the Bacabs.
Chirakan-Ixmucane: A creator goddess formed from the partition of four earlier creators. She is among the thirteen divinities who attempted a new creation. Other tales speak of a goddess with many of her attributes, called Ixcuiname.
Cit-Bolon-Tum: A healer divinity depicted as a wild boar bearing nine tusks.
Cotzbalam: A demon servitor of Alom, whose name means "Crunching Jaguar." He aided in the destruction of the Second Creation by devouring the bodies of the Tsabol-People.
E: An agricultural divinity, evidently the patron of maize and maize produce.
Ekchuah: (Earlier known as "M") An agricultural divinity, the patron of cacao and cacao products. He also has associations with travelers and journeys. He is often portrayed as an opponent (usually unsuccessful) of God "F."
F: A god of war, with some associations with human sacrifice. He often appears in tales of conflict (usually successful) against Ekchuah (God "M").
Gucumatz: The Quiche version of Kukulcan. In Quiche tradition, he is one of thirteen creator divinities who shaped the world. A shapeshifter and master of many realms, he is primarily an agrarian deity concerned with wind and rain. His essential form is that of a feathered serpent.
Gucup Cakix: An evil giant who pretended to be both the sun and the moon but was overthrown and defeated by Hunahpu and Ixbalanque. Astrologically, he corresponds to the seven primary Pleiades (his name means "Seven Macaw"). His children are Caprakan and Zipacna.
Hacha’kyum: An astral divinity who created the stars by scattering sand into the sky.
Hapikern: An evil adversary-deity, a world-girdling serpent eternally at war with Nohochacyum, destined to be slain by that god at the end of days. This echoes the Norse myth of Jormungandr, highlighting fascinating parallels between seemingly unconnected cultures.
Hobnil: An agricultural god associated with bountiful harvests, a member of a triad alongside Ahluic and Chac.
Hun-Cane: A chthonic demon lord of Xibalba, defeated alongside his partner, Vukabcame, by Hunahpu and Ixbalanque.
Hunab-Ku: The supreme deity in the Mayan pantheon. Invisible, immanent, and formless, he is the husband of Ixazalvoh and the father of Itzamnaj. Often referred to as the "Eyes and Ears of the Sun," Hunab-Ku represents the ultimate source of creation and knowledge.
Hunahpu & Ixbalanque: Demi-god hero twins, born miraculously from the saliva of the dead Hun Hunahpu. They embarked on numerous adventures, defeating evil beings such as Gucup Cakix and his children Caprakan and Zipacna. Hunahpu is also the god of evening, restoring the stars swept away by Zipacna.
Hunahpu-Guch: The final name of Alom, used in the third and current creation.
Hun Hunahpu & Vukubahpu: Demi-god hero twins ensnared in Xibalba. Tricked into playing a ball game and losing, they forfeited their lives. Camazotz hung Hun Hunahpu’s head on a calabash tree, which grew heavy with miraculous fruit. Xquiq, a young woman, approached the tree and was induced by the head to take its saliva, subsequently bearing Hunahpu and Ixbalanque.
Hun-Nal-Ye: (Earlier known as "GI") A sea god clearly related to or the patron of sharks.
Huracan: A creator deity found throughout the Caribbean Basin. Primarily a storm god and Lord of the Whirlwind, his power is felt in the seasonal cyclones that bear his name. He partnered with Gucumatz and Tepeu in the second and third creations, building sentient creatures from wood and then maize. He is said to have given humans the gift of fire.
I: A goddess likely named "Ixik," though this is uncertain. She is an early goddess of water, springs, wells, and perhaps the sea.
Ik’: One of the principal Bacabs, regarded as the Upholder of the West. He represents the last quarter of the 260-day religious calendar cycle (the Tsolk’in). His color symbol is black.
Itzamnaj: A senior god, patron of many functions and attributes. A creator and healer deity, he can bring the dead back to life. A fertility lord, his gifts to mankind include maize and rubber. His chief gifts are the arts of drawing, carving, and writing, making him the Lord of scribes and priests. The son of Hunab-Ku and consort of Ix-Chel, he is typically depicted as a toothless, gnarled, but spry old man.
Itzam-Ye: The Serpent Bird or Celestial Bird, the Way of Itzamnaj, and an important divinity in its own right. It was regarded as being seated at the top of the World Tree, able to survey all of creation. A master of magick and sorcery, its image on structures marks them as houses of sorcery, where vital spells were cast to organize and protect the world.
Ixazalvoh: Consort of Hunab-Ku (or Kinich Ajaw in some versions), she is the inventor and goddess of weaving, female sexuality, and childbirth. She has healing and oracular powers.
Ixchel: (Earlier known as "O") Consort of Itzamnaj, she is a healer goddess, keeper of medicines, and patroness of childbirth. She is also a patroness of the weaving arts. Despite her pleasant-sounding name ("Lady Rainbow"), she is typically pictured as an ominous-appearing gnarled old woman with a Medusa-like hairdo and a bone skirt.
Ixcuiname: Goddess of the four ages of womankind, her name means "Four Sisters" or "Four Faces." Some tales connect her with the four creator divinities Alom, Bitol, Qaholom, and Tzacol, in which case she is called Chirakan-Ixmucane.
Ixmacane: The final form of the creator deity originally called Bitol.
Ixpiyacoc: A late form of Tzacol, a creator deity who, in the third creation, was split into two separate entities, Ixpiyacoc being one of them.
Ixtab: A death goddess, ruler and patroness of those who die by hanging.
Ix-Tub-Tun: A serpent deity said to spit precious stones, associated in some way with rain.
Kan: One of the principal Bacabs, regarded as the Upholder of the East. He represents the second quarter of the 260-day religious calendar cycle (the Tsolk’in). His color symbol is typically yellow, although some sources indicate red.
K’awiil: (Earlier known as "K") Patron of royal lineage, kingship, and the nobility.
Kianto: A minor god whose theme is unwelcome influences, notably foreigners and disease.
Kichigonai: In Quiche tradition, the creator of Day and a god of light.
Kinich Ajaw: (Earlier known as "G") Patron of the Numbers 4 and 14. A solar deity, the Face of the Sun, a healer and patron of medicine. In some sources, he is regarded as the consort of Ixazalvoh.
Kisin: An earthquake deity, brother of Nohochacyum and the Yantho Triad, closely associated with Usukun.
Kukulcan: The Yucatec Mayan version of a divinity found all over Central America (see Gucumatz for the Quiche version). Originally a Toltec god, he is primarily a creator deity associated with several creation works in Mayan cosmology. He is best known today by his Nahuatl name, Quetzalcoatl. He has many forms and functions, his most typical being that of the Feathered Serpent.
In the current creation, he seems to have invented the calendar and instituted the laws governing human conduct. His tale varies from culture to culture, but he is said to have journeyed to a land of the dead to steal bones and revivify them to create the current race of men. Authorized to rule over mankind as a just earthly king, he falls under evil spells and breaks taboos, requiring him to leave the world and journey across the eastern waters, vowing to return one day. As Kukulcan, his chief center of worship was in the city-state at the modern town of Quirigua.
L: A god associated with darkness, perhaps a divinity or patron of evening or night.
Manik: God of sacrifice and purificatory suffering.
Mulac: One of the principal Bacabs, regarded as the Upholder of the North. He represents the third quarter of the 260-day religious calendar cycle (the Tsolk’in). His color symbol is typically white.
Nacon: A war god, about whom little else is known.
Nohochacyum: A creator-destroyer deity, his name means "Grandfather." A brother of the Yantho triad and Kisin, he is the eternal opponent of the evil world-serpent Hapikern. He will succeed at the end of days in wrapping Hapikern around himself and smothering it, incidentally extinguishing earthly life in the process.
Pawahtuun: (Also known as "N") Patron of the Numbers 5 and 15. A calendar deity associated with the end of the year. He stands at the four corners of the sky, upholding both it and the world. He is also known as a patron of scribes.
Qaholom: A creator divinity involved in the initial attempts to form sentient creatures alongside Alom, Bitol, and Tzacol.
Tepeu: A creator god who partnered with Gucumatz and Huracan in several creations, building sentient creatures from wood and then maize.
Tzacol: A creator deity. During the third creation, he became two separate deities, himself and Ixpiyacoc, who then joined with Ajbit and Ajtzak to fulfill that creation.
Uc-Zip: Cthonic herald of the Vision Serpent in Xibalba.
Voltan: A god of the earth, about whom little else is known.
Vukub-Cakix: A giant with emerald teeth who was fought and ultimately defeated by Hun Hunahpu and Vukubahpu in a series of adventures. Vukub-Cakix also has strong solar and lunar associations.
Vukubcane: In Quiche tradition, a demonic lord in Xibalba.
The Ways: A class of protector spirits (or emanations of Spirit-Doubles from the soul). Each person has a Way who looks after their individual spiritual needs. When a Way manifests as a material entity, it appears as a small animal. Similar to guardian angels, Fetches among Pagan Norse, or Totem creatures among other Amerindian groups, they communicate through dreams, a realm (Wayib, the Dreaming Place) that both can visit. Gods themselves seem to have individual Ways associated with them (e.g., Itzam-Ye).
The World Tree: In basic Mayan architecture, a house has four walls, and the roof is supported by a large post. Mayan cosmology regards the world as an immense house, the four walls being the Bacabs and the center post being the World Tree. Its base emerges from the cracked shell of the Cosmic Turtle, and its form can be seen as the Milky Way when oriented north-south. Itzam-Ye perches high at its crown, surveying all below. In the material world, the Ajaws, the rulers of the cities, were regarded as the earthly incarnations of the World Tree.
The Witzob: (Sing. Witz – "Mountain" in most early Mayan dialects) Mayans regarded mountains as living creatures, material manifestations of spiritual power. Mayan temples are explicitly formed as artificial Witzob, and much Mayan ritual was designed to imbue and sustain these structures with vital strength and magickal awareness. Rituals were performed in plazas adjacent to the temples, and only specialized persons could ascend the steps and enter the sanctuaries within, which contained objects associated with the patron deities of the city. Some believe that some of the temples were regarded as Ways of the city.
Xamaniqinqu: A directional deity, Lord of the North. A brother of Nohochacyum, and therefore also of Yantho, Usukun, and Uyitzin.
Xecotcovach: A Demon-bird servitor of Alom, his name means "Face-Gouger." He aided in the destruction of the Second Creation by rending the eyes of the Tsabol-People.
Xquiq: The woman who, accepting spittle from the severed head of Hun Hunahpu, became the mother of Hunahpu and Ixbalanque, making her a fertility and motherhood divinity.
Xumucane: A creator deity, the maker of the broth that instilled life in the maize models constructed for the third creation.
Yantho, Usukun, & Uyitzin: A triad of fraternal deities, associated with Nohochacyum. Their names mean "Good," "Bad," and "Indifferent."
Yum Caax: An agricultural god, specifically a patron of both maize and cacao.
Yum Camil: A demon ruler in Xibalba.
The Yumbalamob: A class of protector spirits regarded in colonial times as tasked with protecting and guiding Christians.
Yumchakob: An elderly, white-haired male dwelling in the heavens and responsible for rain. He is nearly always pictured smoking a cigar. Conflation with Kukulcan seems to have occurred, given the parallels in image and story.
Zipacna: God of the dawn. Every morning, he attempts to destroy the stars, succeeding in sweeping away several hundred.
This glimpse into Mayan Spiritual Mythology reveals a complex and fascinating world of gods, demons, and creator beings that shaped the Mayan civilization.