The Mayan culture, one of the most sophisticated cultures before the arrival of the Spanish in the Western Hemisphere was brought into existence by a group of native Mesoamerican people called Maya.
Mayan Religion centers on the worship of nature Gods- The gods of sun,
rain and corn. This religion strongly focuses on the concept of
astronomy and astrology, presence of a priestly class and elaborate
rituals. The Mayan Indians of Central America and Mexico embrace Mayan
Religion by blending it with Roman Catholicism. The Maya Civilization came into existence around 250 AD in the regions of Guatemala, Belize and Southern Mexico. At present several million people follow the Mayan religion.
It is believed that culture and religion of the Olmecs influenced the birth of the Mayan culture. The first 650 years of the Mayan civilization earned the name of the Classic Period from the scholars. At this point of time, there were 2 million adherents who resided in modern- day Guatemala. The cities were basically the centers of ceremonies and rituals and the Maya lived in the rural areas and earned their living from agriculture.
It is believed that after 900 AD the Mayan culture faced a dramatic downfall probably due to loss of trade routes after war. This was followed by the depopulation of the great southern cities although cities like Uxmal, Mayapan and Chichen Itza of the Yucatan Peninsula persisted to exist between 900 AD and 1519, called the Post- Classic period of the Mayan Civilization.
During the early 16th century, when the Spanish arrived, most of the Maya were farmers who dwelled din the rural areas. The Spanish converted the Maya to Roman Catholicism. But this conversion led to the development of a mixed culture with the presence of the traditional Mayan rituals, deities and cosmology.
A written hieroglyphic language depicted the sophisticated Mayan culture. These Mayan texts were engraved on stone pillars or on pieces of bones or painted on pottery or even written on books made of bark paper. These texts that depict Mayan rituals, divination and astronomy are vital resources to know about the ancient culture, civilization and religion. Most of the Mayan texts have been destroyed by the Spanish, but still today three codices- Madrid, Dresden and Paris Codices have managed to survive. The Dresden Codex explains the astronomical method of prediction of the solar eclipses. Many learned Indians have transcribed Mayan hieroglyphic texts into Latin script.
Typical examples include the Books Of Chilam Balam and the Ritual of the Bacabs. These books contain historical chronicles seasoned with myth, divination and medical incantations. But Popol Vuh written between 1554 and 1558 has achieved all the popularity for its chronicles on the history of the Quiché people, Gods’ actions and the chronological order of the Mayan Kings. These texts cannot be regarded as sacred books of religion like Bible, but these act as important sources of knowledge on Mayan practices, customs and rituals.
The Maya worshipped a number of Gods of which Itzamná was considered as the supreme power for being the creator God. Other important Mayan Gods include Kukulcán, the feathered serpent, Chac, the God of rain and lightning identified by his hooked- nose and Bolon Tzacab, the God with a branching nose who is often held as a scepter in a Ruler’s hand. The Maya used to view the Mayan rulers as the bridges to the Gods and they were buried in tombs provided with precious offerings after their death.
The Maya believed that all souls had to pass through the underworld that belonged to the evil gods. Only souls of those people who had been sacrificed or died during childbirth had the honor to go to heaven. The Maya combined science with religion to bring forward striking systems of mathematics and astronomy and this was related to the performance of various Mayan rituals at some specific days only.
The Mayan priests were responsible in deciding the lucky days in which the rulers could plant, harvest and wage wars. The lucky days were determined as per the positions of the planet Venus. We also find the existence of a Mayan calendar as per the Mayan concept of a solar year. The solar year consisting of 365 days was divided into 18 months, each with 20 days and this was followed by the highly unlucky remaining 5 days!
Human sacrifices were the Maya’s central religious practices. The Maya believed that Human blood can satisfy the Mayan Gods and they would be blessed for their piety. The Maya strongly believed that without bloody sacrifices, there would be turmoil and cosmic devastations. The victim to be sacrificed was taken to the top of a pyramid where the priest took out his heart by making an incision below the rib cage. The heart was then burned and offered to the Gods. The Mayan rulers also dedicated themselves to self- torture by drawing blood from their ears, tongue and penis by some ruthless ways. The collected blood was then offered to the Gods. The degree of self- torture of the Mayan aristocracy was directly proportional to the positions they held.
Mayan Religion
