Votan facts for kids
Votan is a legendary or mythological figure from the early stories about the Maya civilization. People in Europe first heard about Votan in the late 1600s.
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Who Was Votan?
The First Stories of Votan
The story of Votan in Mexico goes back to at least the late 1600s. It was first written down in a book in 1702 by Francisco Núñez de la Vega. He was a bishop in a place called Chiapas.
According to Bishop Núñez de Vega, he found old calendars and a special old book written by the Maya people themselves. This book told a story about a person named Votan. The story said Votan was present at a "great building" project. This building was made so people could try to reach the sky. The story also said that after this, everyone was given their own language. Votan was also given the job of dividing the lands of Anahuac.
The bishop also mentioned that in his time, there was a family in Teopixca with the last name Votan. They were believed to be related to this ancient Votan.
Votan's Kingdom
Bishop Núñez de Vega also wrote that Votan belonged to a royal family called "Cham." This name likely means "snake." Votan supposedly started a kingdom called "Na Chan," which means "Snake House." This kingdom was located on the Usumacinta River. Over time, it grew to cover Chiapas and Soconusco, reaching all the way to the Pacific Coast.
In the past, people didn't know much about where ancient cultures in the Americas came from. So, some religious leaders connected Votan to stories from the Bible. They thought he might have come to Mexico from the "Old World" (Europe, Asia, Africa).
Votan and Palenque
Later, a priest named Ramon de Ordoñez y Aguilar linked Votan to the ancient Maya city of Palenque. Ordoñez lived near Palenque and wrote one of the first descriptions of its ruins in 1773. He believed that Votan had built Palenque. He even wrote about Votan taking four trips back to the Middle East.
The Tzeltal are a group of people who live in the region around Teopisca, Chiapas. This area is not far from Palenque. In the late 1600s, it was said that many Tzeltal families "of Votan's ancestry" lived in a place called Comitlan.
Votan and Other Legends
A famous geographer named Alexander von Humboldt wrote in 1810 about Votan. He noticed that Votan's name sounded like "Wodan" or "Odin," a god from Norse and Germanic stories. He found it interesting that similar names appeared in India, Scandinavia, and Mexico.
Later, in 1857, Charles Étienne Brasseur de Bourbourg claimed that Votan was an ancient leader from Phoenicia. He said Votan traveled from the Middle East to the Maya area. He believed Votan defeated a group called the Quiname, built Palenque, and created a large empire called Xibalba. However, today, experts on the Maya believe that Xibalba was a mythical place, not a real empire. They also don't think Phoenicians had contact with ancient Mesoamerica.
Votan as a Culture Hero
Many experts now think Votan was a culture hero for the Tzeltal. A culture hero is a legendary figure who helps start a culture or teaches important skills. Votan's story might be based on a real ruler who lived near Teopisca, Chiapas, a long time ago.
He was sometimes called "Lord of the Horizontal Wooden Drum" and "jaguar god of darkness." His name was also one of the twenty day names in the Tzeltal calendar. In 1691, Bishop Núñez de la Vega removed special objects linked to Votan from a sacred place and burned them.
Votan's Modern Meaning
Pacal Votan
Because Votan was linked to Palenque, some modern spiritual leaders have connected him to Pacal the Great. Pacal was a very important ruler of Palenque. However, scientists who study the Maya writings at Palenque have not found any mention of Votan in them.
Votan Zapata
Today, Votan is often seen as the "heart" of the native people in Chiapas. This idea of a culture hero and deep feeling is seen in "Votan Zapata." This is a legendary idea that combines Votan with the spirit of Emiliano Zapata. Zapata was a famous leader in Mexico. Members of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN) honor Votan-Zapata. They see him as the "guardian and heart of the people" and the "guardian and heart of the word."
