Have you ever wondered how the universe was created according to the Mayans? In the following article you will learn more about the mayan cosmogony, their vision about the world and why they believed that the universe was divided into three different parts.
Origin of the Mayan Cosmogony
Surely you have heard about the Mayan cosmogony and everything that surrounds the origin and evolution of this interesting indigenous culture. In our article today we are going to be learning a little more about the Mayan culture, especially about its origin and how they became one of the most important and influential ethnic groups in the history of Mexico and the world.
It is no secret to anyone that the Mayans are considered one of the most exciting cultures in the world. The Mayan cosmogony is surrounded by interesting legends, myths and beliefs that are worth knowing. Many of these stories and traditions remain alive in the memory of those who still today worship and respect this fascinating culture of the past.
Stay with us and enjoy a complete journey through the Mayan cosmogony, how it originated, what its most important myths and beliefs are, and why it is considered one of the most historic cultures in the world. The Mayans left a great legacy of incalculable value in the service of humanity.
What is the Mayan cosmogony?
Although it is true that it is a term widely known by many, it is never too much to define what we mean when we speak of the Mayan cosmogony. In a few words, it is a branch of Astronomy that is mainly responsible for studying everything about the origin and evolution of the universe.
Let us remember that the Mayan natives had a particular vision about the universe and its composition. They believed that there was a natural order in the world, where each of the stars that inhabited the great outer space represented gods and to whom they used to worship and worship.
The Mayans saw the cosmos as a whole and that allowed them to better understand existence as they knew it and would give them answers to many of the questions that were frequently asked.
Cosmological vision of the Maya
The Mayan culture was basically characterized by promoting its own vision of the universe. From there they created several beliefs that they maintained for many years. They based their cosmological vision on a main belief: They held that everything in the universe represented an order and which was marked by each of the events that occurred in the firmament.
The stars symbolize each of the gods of the Mayan culture and it was precisely the stars who had the responsibility of directing their lives and where they should go. In a few words, the life of the Mayans depended directly on the stars. They did nothing without their direction.
The Mayans interpreted and related the world, the existence of living beings, space, time with the universe and nature. According to Mayan ideology and thought, the existence of the individual is marked by their perception of the animate and the inanimate, where their philosophy of life focuses on material well-being, coupled with spiritual well-being.
Mayan cosmogony: the creation of the world
It is no secret to anyone that the ancient Mayans based their lives on their own beliefs, not only philosophical but also religious. For this indigenous ethnic group, the gods played a fundamental role in everyday life. All his vision about the world and its creation can be found in a Mayan text known as the Popol Vuh.
In that historical text, the Mayans were in charge of leaving their point of view about how they believed that the world was created. Through this manuscript, the Mayans explain in detail the origin of man and the universe. The Mayan cosmogony is present in each line of this literary work, where creation occurs through different cosmic eras, with the presence of mythological gods that give life and shape to the universe.
According to the Mayan cosmogony, the composition of the universe did not begin with man. They claim that creation began first with the plants, then came the animals, and finally the human being was created.
Mayan cosmology and its main gods
The gods played an essential role in the Mayan culture. For this ethnic group, deities were very important, they were even seen as mythological figures who were responsible for representing supernatural forces. There were many gods for the Mayans, however among the most important we can name the following:
- Hunab Ku: God of the Sun or Lord of the skies. The main figure of the Mayans and was above the other gods.
- Chac: God of rain and fertility: The creative energy of man
- Yun kaax: God of corn. Governed by superior intelligent principles like animals. plants, minerals, etc.
- Ah Puch: God of death. He governed gluttony, laziness, envy, as well as post-mortem states.
- Kauil: God of fire. The internal sacred fire, the spiritual force.
- Ix Chel: Moon Goddess. she represented the eternal feminine and masculine principle.
the mayan universes
Let's see in this part of our article how was the vision that the Mayans had about the universe. According to the Mayan cosmogony, the universe was divided into three parts. On the one hand they describe the sky, which in turn was made up of thirteen levels. The Mayans believed that the stars inhabited the sky and some deities such as the Sun, the Moon, Venus and all of them represented by animals such as snakes, macaws, among others.
The second part in which the universe was divided according to the Mayans was the Earth. According to the vision of this ethnic group, the Earth floats on the water and is represented in a great lizard and from it, the vegetation gains strength. Finally we find a third universe, dominated by the twelve gods of death.
These twelve gods of death lived under the surface of the earth and were identified as the Xibalbá lords. It was the place where people purged their sins through hunger, disease, pain and death.
The Mayans and the Popol Vuh
In order to learn more about the vision that the Mayans had about the creation of the universe, it is important to turn to the Popol Vuh, but do you know what it means? It is an original manuscript where the Mayans expressed their entire point of view about the universe and its origin.
This sacred book encompasses the entire worldview of this ancient culture, in addition to reflecting through its pages a universal declaration about the nature of the world. Through the Popol Vuh, the Mayans present their vision of how they believe the world was created and who were the first humans to inhabit it.
In the Popol Vuh special mention is also made of the gods and what was the function that these deities fulfilled in the process of creation in the world. For the Mayans, the gods were very important and this can be seen in the pages of this sacred book, where it is mentioned that the gods directly influenced the life and destiny of men.
Mayan mythology
The Mayans based their beliefs and religion on the existence of different deities to whom they used to worship. There is no doubt that Mayan mythology is one of the most interesting in the world. It is characterized by being rich and through it we can learn exciting stories about how the world was created.
Many of these Mayan myths can be found in an ancient manuscript left by this civilization and is currently considered one of the most impressive works of Mesoamerican literature.
Does the Mayan cosmogony present any element similar to the Greek cosmology?
There are many coincidences between one cosmogony and another. The truth is that both the Mayans and the Greeks had a very similar vision regarding the existence of the universes. Similar elements are reflected in both cultures, for example according to both cosmogony, there were three kingdoms or universes, described as heaven, earth and underworld.
Another coincidence between the Mayan cosmogony and Greek cosmology has to do with the gods. For both visions, the three universes described above were under the domain of gods. The god Zeus had control of the sky and the Earth, the god Poseidon ruled over the sea, while the god Hades controlled the underworld.
These gods, through their powers and attributes, exercised control over everything in the universe, including the lives of human beings.
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