The polytheistic Mayans are very well known for their pantheon of gods. Today's one of the most visited relics and among the Mayan Kingdom's most powerful and enduring metropolises, the city of Chichen Itza is very well known for its pyramids and temples, which pay tribute to many of these gods, yet only two are represented with special frequency: Kukulkan, the feathered serpent as well as Chak, the rain god.
Chak - The Mayan's God of Rain
Chak, the Mayan's god of Rain is among the oldest gods; and masks of Chak's face were made as common adornment in some ancient Maya sites such as Chichen Itza, which are commonly and greatly found on columns and over the doorways of buildings. Commanded a great deal of respect among the Mayans, Chak, the god of storms, of rain, and lighting has thunderbolts that took the form of fearsome serpents. As a matter of fact, the cult of Chak still exists among the small number of surviving indigenous Mayans in South and Central America which was a remarkable challenge of endurance for a god whose religion was by far destroyed hundreds of years past. Human sacrifices were made specifically to curry favour with Chak at Chichen Itza's sacred well. According to the Maya legend, during the ancient times Chak also broke open a rock, inside of which the original seeds of maize were locked, hence made it possible for the Maya to cultivate corn. He was particularly important to the Maya due to the unstable nature of the weather in the Yucatan as well as in neighboring regions. Rivers are not sufficient there and for sustenance most communities depended on cenotes and underground streams. There is great evidence that periods of drought contributed a destructive impact on the growth of Mayan cities, and prolonged droughts may have been the key reason of the Post-Classic decline of the entire civilization.
Kukulkan - The Feathered Serpent Deity Of The Maya
A number of Mesoamerican cultures are seen to worship a serpent god; this was Kulkulkan, for the Mayans, and over a hundred years he went up in prominence for being one of the most widely-revered of all the various gods in the pantheon of the Maya. This was due in no small part to the rise of Chichen Itza as being a primary political as well as economic strength in the Yucatan. In the artwork of the Mayan, Kukulkan was portrayed as an huge snake having gaping jaws as well as resplendent feathers and such depictions in plethora can be seen around the Great Ballcourt at Chichen Itza and the pyramid at El Castillo. During the spring and fall equinoxes, an occurrence referred to as Descent of the Serpent generates the shadows cast by the sun at the northern stairway to merge with the remarkable serpent heads at the foot of the structure, producing the picture of a serpent wriggling its way over the pyramid. During the early Classic period, they identified Kukulkan in the War Serpent motif, patron of warriors as well as victorious military conquests. During the time Chichen Itza rose in power, these associations faded and Kukulkan came to symbolize the divine right of ruler ship commanded by the city's kings, and by extension, the city itself over its surrounding tributaries.
The serpents were a sacred animals to the Mayans; they deemed that the planets and stars in the heavens, whose motions they seen with unfailing accuracy as well as interest, were transferred on the backs of legendary snakes. The Vision Serpent which they regard as a divine entity is associated with Kukulkan, and was responsible for facilitating communication between the Mayans' gods as well as their ruling elite. In the same manner, the common belief in Kukulkan aided to facilitate conversation and also trade through the Mayan empire. Being a wealth and importance of Chichen Itza, and the center of worship for the cult of Kukulcan, grew a shared reverence for this particular god helped to ease provincial barriers and joined disparate city states with different religious, political, and ethnic backgrounds, improving the Itza state at the same time uniting much of the Yucatan in a network of trade and communication.
Chak - The Mayan's God of Rain
Chak, the Mayan's god of Rain is among the oldest gods; and masks of Chak's face were made as common adornment in some ancient Maya sites such as Chichen Itza, which are commonly and greatly found on columns and over the doorways of buildings. Commanded a great deal of respect among the Mayans, Chak, the god of storms, of rain, and lighting has thunderbolts that took the form of fearsome serpents. As a matter of fact, the cult of Chak still exists among the small number of surviving indigenous Mayans in South and Central America which was a remarkable challenge of endurance for a god whose religion was by far destroyed hundreds of years past. Human sacrifices were made specifically to curry favour with Chak at Chichen Itza's sacred well. According to the Maya legend, during the ancient times Chak also broke open a rock, inside of which the original seeds of maize were locked, hence made it possible for the Maya to cultivate corn. He was particularly important to the Maya due to the unstable nature of the weather in the Yucatan as well as in neighboring regions. Rivers are not sufficient there and for sustenance most communities depended on cenotes and underground streams. There is great evidence that periods of drought contributed a destructive impact on the growth of Mayan cities, and prolonged droughts may have been the key reason of the Post-Classic decline of the entire civilization.
Kukulkan - The Feathered Serpent Deity Of The Maya
A number of Mesoamerican cultures are seen to worship a serpent god; this was Kulkulkan, for the Mayans, and over a hundred years he went up in prominence for being one of the most widely-revered of all the various gods in the pantheon of the Maya. This was due in no small part to the rise of Chichen Itza as being a primary political as well as economic strength in the Yucatan. In the artwork of the Mayan, Kukulkan was portrayed as an huge snake having gaping jaws as well as resplendent feathers and such depictions in plethora can be seen around the Great Ballcourt at Chichen Itza and the pyramid at El Castillo. During the spring and fall equinoxes, an occurrence referred to as Descent of the Serpent generates the shadows cast by the sun at the northern stairway to merge with the remarkable serpent heads at the foot of the structure, producing the picture of a serpent wriggling its way over the pyramid. During the early Classic period, they identified Kukulkan in the War Serpent motif, patron of warriors as well as victorious military conquests. During the time Chichen Itza rose in power, these associations faded and Kukulkan came to symbolize the divine right of ruler ship commanded by the city's kings, and by extension, the city itself over its surrounding tributaries.
The serpents were a sacred animals to the Mayans; they deemed that the planets and stars in the heavens, whose motions they seen with unfailing accuracy as well as interest, were transferred on the backs of legendary snakes. The Vision Serpent which they regard as a divine entity is associated with Kukulkan, and was responsible for facilitating communication between the Mayans' gods as well as their ruling elite. In the same manner, the common belief in Kukulkan aided to facilitate conversation and also trade through the Mayan empire. Being a wealth and importance of Chichen Itza, and the center of worship for the cult of Kukulcan, grew a shared reverence for this particular god helped to ease provincial barriers and joined disparate city states with different religious, political, and ethnic backgrounds, improving the Itza state at the same time uniting much of the Yucatan in a network of trade and communication.
About the Author:
Find out more on traveling to Guatemala Duende Tours Adventure Travel. To witness the birds in Guatemala in their habitat try Onejungle's Guatemala Adventure Trips for a great combination of adventure and culture.
No comments:
Post a Comment