Jacawitz facts for kids
Jacawitz (pronounced: HAH-kah-weetz) was an important mountain god for the Kʼicheʼ Maya. The Kʼicheʼ were an ancient civilization living in the highlands of Guatemala. Jacawitz was a special protector god for the Ajaw Kʼicheʼ family line. He was also a close friend of the sun god, Tohil.
The name jacawitz means "mountain" in some Maya languages. In the highland Maya language, qʼaqʼawitz means "fire mountain." This suggests that Jacawitz was mainly a god of fire, much like Tohil. In another language, Mam, a similar word means "yellow wasp." The wasp was an important symbol for this god and his family.
Who Was Jacawitz?
In the Kʼicheʼ epic story called the Popol Vuh, the first people gathered at a mythical place called Tollan. There, they received their gods. Mahucutah, one of the Kʼicheʼ leaders, received Jacawitz as his special god.
An ancient stone carving from the 9th century, found at a Maya site called Seibal, mentions a visitor named Hakawitzil. Experts believe this is an early way of spelling Jacawitz. Some historians think this event might have led to the Kʼicheʼ people's founding stories. Jacawitz is mentioned many times in the Popol Vuh. He also appears in another Kʼicheʼ document called Título de los Señores de Totonicapán.
Jacawitz and the Maya Gods
Jacawitz was part of a group of three important Kʼicheʼ gods. The other two were Tohil and the goddess Awilix. Sometimes, all three were simply called Tohil, because he was the most important of the group. The idea of a group of three main gods was very old in Maya culture. It goes back to very early times in their history.
The Temple of Jacawitz
The Ahaw Kʼicheʼ family was the first ruling family of the Kʼicheʼ Maya. Later, another family, the Kaweq, became more powerful. As the Ahaw Kʼicheʼ lost their power, their special god Jacawitz also became less important.
The temple built for Jacawitz in the Kʼicheʼ capital city of Qʼumarkaj was one of the three tallest buildings there. It was a large mound located south of the main plaza. Today, much of its stone has been removed, so its original shape is not fully clear. However, old drawings from the 1800s show it as a pyramid.
This pyramid temple was part of a larger area. It included a courtyard with the temple on one side, a palace on another side, and a long building on the third side. This temple area has not yet been fully explored by archaeologists. The old drawings suggest the temple was a tall, narrow building with four or five levels.
