God G was the sun god of the ancient Maya. In the Classic period and the Postclassic period, he was referred to either as Ahau Kin (Ahaw K'in) or Kinich Ahau (K'inich Ahau, K'inich Ajaw). One of the most famous pieces of jade found in the ancient Maya land is a jade head bearing his appearance, from Altun Ha. His head has also been used to decorate temples.
Appearance
There are variances in how Kinich Ahau was drawn. In Mesoamerican Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs of f Mexico and Central America he is described as having several distinguishing features: a hooked nose (a spiral often heading out from it in profile drawings); eyes that looked like crosses in full view but with an eye that looked like a square in profile; and sometimes a beard that had sections curling at the corners of his mouth.
Star Gods of the Maya: Astronomy in Art, Folklore, and Calendars says some similar things but also says some different things. It uses examples of Kinich Ahau found in the codices: in the Madrid Codex he is depicted as a aged being with crooked teeth; but in the Dresden Codex he is depicted to be around middle age, though on a table concerning eclipses he is drawn with a beard. The book also says that during the Postclassic period, Kinich Ahau was drawn with the glyph for the day Kin on his head or body. Sometimes, he was drawn with fangs or with one tooth.
Function
Kinich Ahau was the sun, and was believed to turn into a jaguar as he went through Xibalbá each night. He was the patron of the day Muluc (also spelled Muluk), and was associated with Maya rulers and warriors as well as jaguars.
Change of Kinich Ahau's Patronage of Kings
The association of Kinich Ahau with kings changed over time. In the Classic period it was very common for a ruler to say he had a connection with the god. However this changed to become less common in the Postclassic period, as did the prominence of Kinich Ahau.
A God or an Aspect?
Kinich Ahau might not actually be a god by himself. There is a possibility that he is only an aspect of Itzamná (God D), a creator god (Itzamná has been identified as having an aspect named Kinich Ahau Itzamná).
References:
"The Ancient Maya: New Perspectives"; Heather Irene McKillop; 2004
"The Ancient Maya"; Robert. J Sharer, Loa P. Traxler; 2006
"Prehistoric Mesoamerica"; Richard E. W. Adams; 1991
"Star Gods of the Maya: Astronomy in Art, Folklore, and Calendars"; Susan Milbrath; 2000
"Mesoamerican Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs of f Mexico and Central America"; Kay Almere Read, Jason J. Gonzalez; 2002
Showing posts with label Mesoamerican. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mesoamerican. Show all posts
Monday, October 22, 2012
Friday, March 30, 2012
Ancient Maya Featherwork
Like other Mesoamerican cultures such as the Aztecs the ancient Maya made use of feathers as a source of artistry and personal adornment. Though the feathers of Maya feather work have long since rotted away, there is some information on the subject.
Kinds of feathers
The Maya used different kinds of birds as their sources of feathers. Of the different feathers, tail feathers of the male quetzal -- which are a shade of iridescent green and can grow up to a meter long -- were seen as the most beautiful. They were traded from the Maya highlands to the rest of the Maya world and beyond. It is understood that commoners were not allowed to use quetzal feathers, only the royalty.
Obtaining Feathers
Often, the Maya would pluck the feathers off the bird and then let the bird go. The Quiche Maya even had aviaries (enclosures for birds) in order to have a supply of feathers for their creative endeavors.
Items
The ancient Maya incorporated feathers into clothing. They also used them to make decorations for spears and scepters, and in the making of fans, canopies, body ornaments, capes and shields.
Another use of feathers was in the making of headdresses. The ancient Maya made the headdresses by working feathers into wicker frames.
References:
“The Ancient Maya”; Robert J. Sharer, Loa. P. Traxler; 2006
“The Ancient Maya”; Robert J. Sharer, Sylvanus Griswold Morley; 1994
"Animals and Plants of the Ancient Maya: A Guide"; Victoria Schlesinger; 2001
"Mayas, Aztecs, Incas: Cooperative Learning Activities"; Mary Strohl, Susan Schneck; 1995
Kinds of feathers
The Maya used different kinds of birds as their sources of feathers. Of the different feathers, tail feathers of the male quetzal -- which are a shade of iridescent green and can grow up to a meter long -- were seen as the most beautiful. They were traded from the Maya highlands to the rest of the Maya world and beyond. It is understood that commoners were not allowed to use quetzal feathers, only the royalty.
Obtaining Feathers
Often, the Maya would pluck the feathers off the bird and then let the bird go. The Quiche Maya even had aviaries (enclosures for birds) in order to have a supply of feathers for their creative endeavors.
Items
The ancient Maya incorporated feathers into clothing. They also used them to make decorations for spears and scepters, and in the making of fans, canopies, body ornaments, capes and shields.
Another use of feathers was in the making of headdresses. The ancient Maya made the headdresses by working feathers into wicker frames.
References:
“The Ancient Maya”; Robert J. Sharer, Loa. P. Traxler; 2006
“The Ancient Maya”; Robert J. Sharer, Sylvanus Griswold Morley; 1994
"Animals and Plants of the Ancient Maya: A Guide"; Victoria Schlesinger; 2001
"Mayas, Aztecs, Incas: Cooperative Learning Activities"; Mary Strohl, Susan Schneck; 1995
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Maya Calendar Series -- Overview
Author’s Note: This is part one of a series on the Maya calendars. Each section in this post will eventually have a separate post which I will hyperlink to its respective header.
In Mesoamerica -- possibly in Izapa during the 1300s BC -- two calendars developed, a sacred calendar and a calendar based on the sun. These calendars spread to peoples including the Mixtecs, Teotihuacanos and Zapotecs as well as the ancient Maya, who used the two calendars in an interlocking system.
Of the peoples that used it, the ancient Maya are believed to be the people who refined the system the most. Other than the two calendars, they also kept other “calendars”.
The Sacred Calendar: Tzolkin
The sacred calendar -- which was used for religious purposes -- is known today as the Tzolkin. This calendar has an interlocked cycle of 13 numbers and 20 days that started over after 260 days (13 x 20 = 260). Each of the 20 days had a name.
The Sun-Based Calendar: Haab
The sun-based calendar -- which was used for more everyday purposes -- is known today as the vague year or the Haab, and was like our calendar. Made up in total of 365 days, the Haab contains 18 months, each having 20 days, plus a group of 5 days (18 x 20 + 5 = 365). Each month of the Haab, like our calendar (the Gregorian calendar), has a name.
Calendar Round: The Interlocking System
The Calendar Round is the name that people who study the Maya use to describe the interlocking system of the Tzolkin and the Haab. The cycle produced by combining these two calendars repeats every 52 years.
Long Count
The Long Count is a system of units for keeping track of how many days had passed since the creation of the current world. Something only the Maya used, unlike the Haab and Tzolkin, the Long Count does not repeat, but continues to go up in number. Its smallest unit was a day from which it progressed to larger and larger units. Currently, the Long Count’s start date is thought to be sometime in 3114 BC.
Other Calendars
The ancient Maya also used some other cycles, and worked them into their timekeeping. Some of these cycles are the cycle of Venus, an 819-day count centered on the god K’awiil and the cycle of the moon as well as the cycle of the Nine Lords of Night.
Correlation
Through the years, various people tried to find a date or dates to match our calendar with the ancient Mayan Calendar Round and Long Count. So far, a match known as the Gordon-Martinez-Thompson correlation (or GMT correlation) is the most commonly accepted as the right match. However, not everyone thinks it is as accurate as it ought to be.
References:
"A Forest of Kings"; Linda Schele, David Friedel; 1990
Dartmouth College: Chapter 6 The Long Count: Astronomical Precision
"The Ancient Maya"; Robert J. Sharer, Loa P. Traxler; 2006
In Mesoamerica -- possibly in Izapa during the 1300s BC -- two calendars developed, a sacred calendar and a calendar based on the sun. These calendars spread to peoples including the Mixtecs, Teotihuacanos and Zapotecs as well as the ancient Maya, who used the two calendars in an interlocking system.
Of the peoples that used it, the ancient Maya are believed to be the people who refined the system the most. Other than the two calendars, they also kept other “calendars”.
The Sacred Calendar: Tzolkin
The sacred calendar -- which was used for religious purposes -- is known today as the Tzolkin. This calendar has an interlocked cycle of 13 numbers and 20 days that started over after 260 days (13 x 20 = 260). Each of the 20 days had a name.
The Sun-Based Calendar: Haab
The sun-based calendar -- which was used for more everyday purposes -- is known today as the vague year or the Haab, and was like our calendar. Made up in total of 365 days, the Haab contains 18 months, each having 20 days, plus a group of 5 days (18 x 20 + 5 = 365). Each month of the Haab, like our calendar (the Gregorian calendar), has a name.
Calendar Round: The Interlocking System
The Calendar Round is the name that people who study the Maya use to describe the interlocking system of the Tzolkin and the Haab. The cycle produced by combining these two calendars repeats every 52 years.
Long Count
The Long Count is a system of units for keeping track of how many days had passed since the creation of the current world. Something only the Maya used, unlike the Haab and Tzolkin, the Long Count does not repeat, but continues to go up in number. Its smallest unit was a day from which it progressed to larger and larger units. Currently, the Long Count’s start date is thought to be sometime in 3114 BC.
Other Calendars
The ancient Maya also used some other cycles, and worked them into their timekeeping. Some of these cycles are the cycle of Venus, an 819-day count centered on the god K’awiil and the cycle of the moon as well as the cycle of the Nine Lords of Night.
Correlation
Through the years, various people tried to find a date or dates to match our calendar with the ancient Mayan Calendar Round and Long Count. So far, a match known as the Gordon-Martinez-Thompson correlation (or GMT correlation) is the most commonly accepted as the right match. However, not everyone thinks it is as accurate as it ought to be.
References:
"A Forest of Kings"; Linda Schele, David Friedel; 1990
Dartmouth College: Chapter 6 The Long Count: Astronomical Precision
"The Ancient Maya"; Robert J. Sharer, Loa P. Traxler; 2006
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