MAYAN AND AZTEC MYTHOLOGY Titles in the Mythology Series American Indian Mythology ISBN 0-7660-1411-8 Chinese Mythology ISBN 0-7660-1412-6 Egyptian Mythology ISBN 0-7660-1407-X Gods and Goddesses in Greek Mythology ISBN 0-7660-1408-8 Heroes in Greek Mythology ISBN 0-7660-1560-2 Inuit Mythology ISBN 0-7660-1559-9 Mayan and Aztec Mythology ISBN 0-7660-1409-6 Roman Mythology ISBN 0-7660-1558-0 U MYTHOLOGY U MAYAN AND AZTEC MYTHOLOGY Michael A. Schuman Copyright © 2001 by Michael A. Schuman All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced by any means without the written permission of the publisher. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Schuman, Michael. Mayan and Aztec mythology / Michael A. Schuman. p. cm. — (Mythology) Includes bibliographical references and index. Summary: Discusses various Mayan and Aztec myths, including creation stories and tales of principal gods and goddesses. ISBN 0-7660-1409-6 1. Maya mythology. 2. Aztec mythology. 3. Maya gods—Juvenile literature. 4. Aztec gods—Juvenile literature. [1. Mayas—Folklore. 2. Aztecs—Folklore. 3. Indians of Mexico—Folklore. 4. Indians of Central America—Folklore. 5. Folklore—Mexico. 6. Folklore—Central America.] I. Title. II. Mythology (Berkeley Heights, N.J.) F1434.2.R3 S38 2000 299’.72—dc21 00-028779 Printed in the United States of America 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 To Our Readers: We have done our best to make sure all Internet addresses in this book were active and appropriate when we went to press. However, the author and the publisher have no control over and assume no liability for the material available on those Internet sites or on other Web sites they may link to. Any comments or suggestions can be sent by e-mail to
[email protected] or to the address on the back cover. Cover and Illustrations by William Sauts Bock CONTENTS Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 1 The Creation of People According to the Popol Vuh . . . . . . . . . 21 2 3 Seven Macaw and His Sons . . . . . . . . . 34 4 5 6 7 8 The Hero Twins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 The Origin of the Sun and the Moon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 The Creation of the World . . . . . . . . . . 74 Feeding the Aztec People . . . . . . . . . . . 86 The Creation of Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 The Birth of the War God . . . . . . . . . . .106 Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117 Chapter Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119 Further Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .123 Internet Addresses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .125 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127 PREFACE ALL ABOUT THE MAYAS AND AZTECS Many people associate mythology only with the Greeks and Romans. After all, those two civilizations have supplied the most famous myths and gods in history. However, it is important to realize that all cultures in all sections of the world have their own unique mythologies. That is certainly true for the sophisticated Mayan and Aztec civilizations that developed in Mesoamerica. Mesoamerica is a geographical area that covers most of what is now Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, and other parts of Central America. Even though the early Mesoamerican cultures from which the Mayas and Aztecs emerged were different in many ways, they encountered one another often because of trade, migration, and conquest. As a result, they share some of the same characteristics, and their religions and myths share some of the same themes. For example, most Mesoamerican cultures were very interested in