Maya death gods facts for kids

The Maya death gods were important figures in ancient Maya beliefs. They were known by many names, like Ah Puch, Kimi, or Yum Kimil. The Maya people believed there were two main types of death gods. A Spanish bishop named Diego de Landa wrote about them in the 1500s. He called them Hunhau and Uacmitun Ahau. Hunhau was seen as the lord of the Underworld, a place where spirits went after death. These gods are also known as God A and God A' in Maya art and writings.

In some Maya stories, especially from the Lacandon people, there is one main death god called Kisin. This god is the opposite of the Upper God. Kisin helped create the world and people's bodies and souls. He lives in the Underworld, which is also the world of the dead. Kisin is similar to the Aztec god Mictlantecuhtli, who also ruled the dead. The famous Maya book, the Popol Vuh, talks about two death gods. They are called "One Death" and "Seven Death." The brave Maya Hero Twins defeated these death gods in the stories. The death gods were also believed to be powerful spirits or "were-animals" called wayob who lived in the Underworld.

Names of the Maya Death Gods

The Maya death gods had different names depending on the region and time period.

Kisin: The Underworld God

The Lacandon people and early Choles called their death god Kisin. The word kis means "flatulence" or "stench," which might sound strange, but it connects to ideas of decay. Bishop Landa used the name Hunhau for the lord of the Underworld. This name meant "to end" or "to lay on its back." Other names included Yum Kimil, meaning "Lord of Death" in Yucatán, and (Ah) Pukuh in Chiapas.

Ah Puch: A Common Name

You might often hear the name Ah Puch for the Maya death god. However, it seems this name might not be an original Maya name for the main death god. An "Ah Puch" is mentioned in an old Maya book, the Book of Chilam Balam, as a ruler of the North. Also, one of the helpers of the death gods in the Popol Vuh is called Ahal Puh.

Stories About the Death Gods

The Maya had many myths and legends about their death gods.

Kʼicheʼ Maya Stories

In the Popol Vuh, the Maya Hero Twins travel to a scary place called Xibalba, the "Place of Fright." There, two powerful death gods, Hun-Came ("One-Death") and Vucub-Came ("Seven-Death"), rule over many gods who bring sickness. The Hero Twins bravely defeat these death gods. They also set rules for how people could worship them.

Yucatec Maya Stories

One of the earliest records of Maya religion, from 1545, tells a story about a god named Eopuco (which means Ah Pukuh). This god supposedly hurt and killed the Bacab, another important Maya god. But the Bacab was brought back to life three days later.

Lacandon Maya Stories

The skeletal death god Kisin is very important in Lacandon Maya myths. Here are some of his key stories:

• The upper god created the Underworld. In this story, the upper god dies at Kisin's hands but then comes back to life. Kisin is then trapped in the Underworld. Sometimes, when Kisin gets angry, he kicks the pillars that hold up the Earth, causing earthquakes.
• Kisin tried to create humans like the upper god did, but he failed. Instead, he created special animals that became linked to certain family groups.
• An ancestor named Nuxiʼ went down into the Underworld to try and marry Kisin's daughter.
• Stories also describe what happens to souls in the Underworld. Kisin might burn the souls of bad people. He could also turn some bad souls into his "pets." He also hunts for the spiritual doubles of people who are about to die.

Classic Period: God A

During the Classic period of Maya history, God A was often shown in art. Sometimes, his stomach looked like it was pouring out blood or rotting material. He was usually surrounded by creatures like spiders, centipedes, scorpions, vultures, owls, and bats. He often wore jewelry on his wrists and ankles. A round symbol on his lower body might represent the smell of decay. Above his head, there was often an S-shaped object, possibly an insect carrying a torch. On his forehead, like other Underworld gods, he wore a symbol of "darkness."

In Maya number systems, God A's head was used to represent the number 10. His lower jawbone was part of the symbols for numbers 13 through 19. He was often shown dancing and holding a smoking cigarette. Around his neck, he wore a "death collar" made of eyes hanging by their nerves. Black spots on his body and a swollen stomach showed the decay of flesh.

Rituals and Ceremonies

Both God A and God A' were important in New Year ceremonies, as shown in ancient Maya books like the Dresden Codex. God A' likely matches the death god Uacmitun Ahau, who was believed to rule over years when many people died. To protect themselves during such a year, people would walk over hot coals, which might have represented the fires of the Underworld. Temple priests would dress up as God A' and perform special ceremonies. These ceremonies were meant to show the power of the gods and were very important to the people watching.

Hunting in the Underworld

God A often appeared in scenes with other spirits and "were-animals." He was sometimes shown as a hunter of heads or a hunter of deer. The deer hunt might have been a way to talk about hunting for human victims. It also seems connected to certain deer-like spirits with monkey tails. In one famous carving, a deer spirit seems to welcome the death god back from a hunt.

Jaguar Transformation

God A is sometimes shown with the Rain Deity Chaac during the transformation of a person (perhaps a hero) into a jaguar. This person is usually shown as a baby and seems to go into the Underworld. Also, on a bench from Copan, the gods who carry the Earth, called Bacabs, are shown with death gods A. This might be because one of the four Bacabs in Yucatán was called "White Death."

Classic Period: God A'

Another important death god from the Classic period is God A' ("A prime"). He matches Landa's Uac Mitun Ahau. He is recognized by a black stripe over his eyes and a "darkness" symbol on his forehead. Like God A, he is one of the Classic wayob spirits. God A' is shown with very pale skin. He wears a large headdress with a bone going through it. In most pictures, he holds a staff, pipe, or orb. Like many Maya gods, he wears jewelry on his neck, wrists, and ankles. He wears a cloth around his waist. His appearance is similar to a human-like way spirit and a scary flying insect that sometimes carries a torch.

Calendars and Stars

An old Maya songbook says that the Underworld (Miitnal) would open and Kisin (Cizin) would be set free during the last twenty days of the year. In the Classic period, the skull of God A was used in several ways:

• It was the symbol for the day Kimi, which means "Death." This day is also called Kame in another Maya language, and it's the name of the rulers of Xibalba in the Popol Vuh.
• It was the symbol for the number ten, perhaps because the word for "end" sounded similar.
• It was part of a symbol used in the Lunar Series, which helped track moon cycles and predict lunar eclipses.

God A is sometimes shown with a crescent moon, suggesting he might have been a god connected to the moon. A picture of God A (or maybe a female version of him) is found in the lunar eclipse tables of the Dresden Codex.

Images for kids

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  God A way as a hunter, from the Classic period.

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  God A in the lunar eclipse tables of the Dresden Codex.

See also

In Spanish: Ah Puch para niños