The Maya Myths

The rich and varied stories of the great Maya civilization in one compelling and readable volume. The Maya reigned for almost four millennia and occupied large swathes of what is now southern Mexico and Central America. Their civilization was highly complex, divided into politically fragmented noble houses, which gave rise to a diverse mythology that can vary between groups and retellings. For example, there are three different myths about the origins of the sun and moon. In one of these creation myths, animals and objects rise up to torment humanity, while in another, pots shatter and speak, unleashing demons upon the people. Elsewhere, heroes descend to the ball-court of the underworld, where trees grow fruit in the likeness of severed heads, the ancestors converse with animals, and the Maize God is caught in a perpetual cycle of death and rebirth. To the Maya these were more than fireside tales—these myths formed the foundation of their culture, weaving together their ancestral and primordial pasts into a cohesive and meaningful narrative. Hardcover, 224 pages.