The Mayans believe that Mother Earth was a gigantic monster. It was an alligator, toad, and a turtle combined. Above her was a sky with a layer for each planet and spheres of movement for the sun and the moon. Below her was the underworld where heavenly bodies passed when out of sight. All around her were the spirits of rain and thunder. The deities of the food plants and animals attended her. All nature was alive and it was constantly dying and being reborn (Burland 1771).The Mayans are American Indian people who lived in southern Mexico (Miller 'Maya' Grolier). The Yucatan was the center of the Mayan civilization from about the 1st century B.C. ('Yucantan' Grolier). They flourished ...view middle of the document...
The Greeks had believed there was nothing, that the world began with Chaos, which is similar to the Mayan belief that there was no Earth, no sun and no moon. The only existence was the house of Gucumatz, which is Heaven where the father and mother of all creatures lived. The other is the house of the Ahauab de Xibalba, which is Hell. In Hell, Hun Came and Vucub Caquix, Lords of Hell lived (Eufraccio Internet).The Mayans had many gods: Ah Puch, a god of death; Akhushtal, the goddess of childbirth; Cit Bolon Tum and Ahau Chamahez, the gods of medicine; Kan-u-Uayeyab, the god who guarded cities; Kukucan, the wind god; Ekahau, the god of travelers and merchants (The Mythical Encyclopedia Internet); Ixtab, the goddess of the noose and the gallows. The Mayans believed that if a person committed suicide by a noose, he or she would go to her paradise. And Izamna is the sun and sky god, he rules over the night. They also call him 'God D.' His title is 'lord of knowledge.' He was the founder of Mayan culture. He taught them script, healing, and the use of calenders and brought them his people maize, which is corn, and cacao, a coca seed. Ixchel is the earth and moon goddess and patroness of pregnant women. She invented the art of weaving. They think that she was the consort of Itzamna. She had also given birth to the Bacabs (Eufraccio Internet).Bacabs, the children of Izamna and Ixchel, are a group of four protective deities. They are the canopic gods. There are four Bacabs. They stand at the four corners of the world, the cardinal points. They also supported the heavens. The first one four of the Bacabs is Cauac. He is the south and his color is red. Next is Ix. He is the west and his color is black. Next is Mulac. He stands for the north and his color is white. Kan is the last one of the Bacabs. He is the east and his color is yellow (The Encyclopedia Mythica Internet).Hun Came and Vucub Caquix were the rulers of the underworld, called Xibalaba. The steep road that leads to the underworld is very dangerous. There are torrents; it is flanked by the abysses, and it is covered with thorns. Vucub Caquix had two children. Kabrakan causes earthquakes and the disappearance of mountains. His brother Zipakna makes' mountains rise through earthquakes (Eufraccio Internet).Hun Came and Vucub Caquix invited Hun Hunahpu and Vucub Hunahpu to a ball game. When Hun Hunahpu and Hunahpu arrived, Hun Came and Vucub Caquix killed them. Hun Hunahpu's head was placed on a dead tree that came to life. Ixquic, a virgin, wanted a fruit. Hun Hunahpu told her to open her hand, where he spit. She instantly became pregnant. She gave birth to Hunahpu and Ixbalanque. Hunahpu and Ixbalanque killed Hun Came and Vucub Caquix to avenge their father's death (Eufraccio Internet).There are some Mayan gods that have similar functions with the Greek gods. Hunab Ku is the god of gods, as Zeus is the god of gods. He also is a creator. Nacon is the god of war, as Aries is the god of war....
