The Maya Book of Shadows: Chronicles of the Popol Vuh*

THE MAYA BOOK OF SHADOWS

### Chronicles of the Popol Vuh, Sacred Myths, and Cultural Studies

### Mayan Mythology and the Deluge Myth

Much like other great ancient civilizations, the Maya held their own sacred narrative regarding a cataclysmic flood. In the *Popol Vuh*—the sacred book of the Maya—we find the haunting chronicle of a great deluge that wiped out the dawn of creation.

> "According to the Popol Vuh, the world was a agonizing void until the gods—the Great Father and the Great Mother, one a creator and the other a shaper of forms—resolved to generate life. Their sole intention was to be worshiped by their own creation. First, they made the Earth; then, the animals; and finally, mankind. Man was initially molded from clay. When this attempt failed, the Great Father chose to carve them out of wood. However, though active, these new men grew vain and frivolous, forcing the Great Father to destroy them in a catastrophic flood." (Encarta Encyclopedia, Microsoft Corporation, 2001)

Another profound enigma tied to this civilization surfaced in 1927, when British archaeologist F.A. Mitchell-Hedges unearthed a mesmerizing piece of Mayan craftsmanship: a flawless replica of a human skull carved from a single block of quartz crystal. The method by which the Maya sculpted this artifact remains a baffling mystery. Experts estimate it would have required multiple generations of artisans, totaling nearly 300 years of continuous, meticulous polishing. Furthermore, the upper roof of the skull’s mouth acts as a functional optical prism.

### THE SACRED BOOK: POPOL VUH

#### Part 1 — Chapter 1

This is the account of how all was in suspense, all calm, in silence; all motionless, still, and the expanse of the sky was empty.

This is the first narrative. There was not yet a single man, nor animal, bird, fish, crab, tree, stone, cave, ravine, herb, or forest; there was only the sky. The surface of the earth had not yet appeared. There was only the calm sea and the vast expanse of the heavens. There was nothing gathered together that could make a sound, nothing that could step forward or move. There was nothing standing, only the tranquil waters, the placid sea, alone and quiet. Nothing existed.

There was only stillness and silence in the darkness of the night. Only the Creator, the Shaper, Tepeu, Gucumatz, and the Progenitors* rested in the water, surrounded by light**. They hid beneath green and blue feathers, and for this reason, they were called Gucumatz. By nature, they were great sages and deep thinkers. In this manner the sky existed, and also the Heart of Heaven, which is the name of God.

> **Note _:_** In the original text, *Alom* (those who conceive and give birth) and *Qaholom* (those who beget children). For conciseness, these terms are translated as "The Progenitors."

> **Note __:_** They rested in the water because the Quiché people associated the name Gucumatz with the liquid element. Bishop Núñez de la Vega asserts that Gucumatz is a feathered serpent that moves through water. The Cakchiquel Manuscript states that one of the primitive tribes that migrated to Guatemala was named Gucumatz because their salvation lay in the waters.

Then came the word. Tepeu and Gucumatz came together in the darkness of the night; they spoke, deliberated, and agreed, joining their words and thoughts. As they meditated, it became clear to them that at dawn, mankind must appear. Thus, they planned the creation, the growth of the trees, the rise of the forests, and the birth of life and humanity. So it was ordained, in the darkness of the night, by the Heart of Heaven, whose name is Huracán.

The first is called Caculhá Huracán. The second is Chipi-Caculhá. The third is Raxa-Caculhá. And these three form the Heart of Heaven.

Then Tepeu and Gucumatz conferred upon life and light: what could they do so that dawn would come, and who would be those that provide them with nourishment and sustenance?

"Let it be done! Let the void be filled! Let the waters recede and make way for the earth to appear and become solid! Let there be light and dawn in the sky and upon the earth! There shall be neither glory nor grandeur in our creation until human beings are formed," they declared.

Then, the earth was created. It took only for them to say "Earth!" for it to rise instantly. Like mist or a cloud of dust was the creation, as the mountains emerged from the water and grew in a single moment. By a miracle of magic and artistry, the valleys and mountains took shape, and groves of cypresses and pines sprouted together across the surface.

Gucumatz, filled with joy, exclaimed: "Your coming has been fruitful, Heart of Heaven! And you likewise, Huracán, Chipi-Caculhá, and Raxa-Caculhá!"

"Our work and our creation must be finished," they replied.

First the earth was formed, the mountains and valleys divided, and the streams of water were set free among the hills. Thus was the Earth created by the Heart of Heaven and the Heart of Earth, the names of the first who made it fertile when the sky was still in suspense and the world lay submerged. Everything was executed flawlessly, after much thought and meditation.

#### Chapter 2

Next, they created the small wild animals, the guardians of the forests, the spirits of the mountains, the deer, the birds, the pumas, the jaguars, the serpents, and the vipers that inhabit the brush.

The Progenitors asked: "Shall there be only silence and stillness beneath the trees? It is only right that there should be someone to watch over them."

Straightway, the deer and birds were created and given their dwellings: "You, deer, shall sleep along the riverbanks and within the ravines. You shall live among the brushwood and pastures; you shall walk on four legs and multiply thereon." To the birds, they said: "You shall live in the trees and upon the branches. There you shall build your nests and multiply." The animals obeyed instantly and occupied their homes.

When creation was complete, the Creator and the Progenitors said to the animals: "Speak, cry, sing, call! Speak, each according to your kind."

"Speak our names, praise us! Invoke Huracán, Chipi-Caculhá, Raxa-Caculhá, the Heart of Heaven, the Heart of Earth, the Creator, and the Progenitors! Worship us!"

However, the animals could not speak like men; they only hissed, screamed, and cackled. They were incapable of articulating words, and each emitted a different sound. When the Creators saw that communication was impossible, they said among themselves: "This is not right. They cannot pronounce our names."

Thus, they spoke to the animals: "Because you could not speak, your destinies shall be altered. You shall keep your food, pastures, and nests in the ravines and woods, but because you did not worship us, we will fashion other beings who are obedient. Accept your fate: your flesh shall be torn, and you shall serve as food."

The gods wished to make another attempt so that living creatures might worship them, but the animals still could not understand one another. For this reason, they were condemned to be hunted and eaten. A new attempt to create man had to be made by the Creator, the Shaper, and the Progenitors.

"Let us try again! Dawn approaches. Let us make those who will nourish and sustain us. We have already tried with our first creatures, but they did not know how to venerate us. Let us attempt to make obedient and respectful beings."

Thus began the new creation. Out of earth and mud, they fashioned the flesh of man. But they saw that it was not good: man fell apart, he was limp, he could not move, and he possessed no strength. He collapsed, unable to move his head; his vision was blurred, and he could not look behind him. At first, he spoke, but his words lacked coherence. Quickly, he became soaked in the water and crumbled away.

The Creator and the Shaper said: "Let us try again, for this humanity will be unable to walk or multiply." Therefore, they destroyed their work.

Gathered in council, they resolved to consult the diviners Xpiyacoc, Xmucané, Hunahpú-Vuch, and Hunahpú-Utiú to cast lots and make a new attempt. They called upon the sages known as the Grandmother of Day and the Grandmother of Dawn (Xpiyacoc and Xmucané) and said: "Work together and discover a way for the man we are about to create to nourish, sustain, invoke, and remember us."

"Invoke fate by casting your grains of corn and the seeds of the tzité*** tree. Do this so we may know if we should carve men out of wood," they commanded the diviners.

> *** **Note _:_** Tzité is the tree known in Guatemala as the *árvore-de-pito* (coral tree). Its fruits are pods with red seeds resembling beans, used by the indigenous peoples in divination and sorcery—a practice of great antiquity in the Mayan region.

The old man Xpiyacoc and the old woman Xmucané began the divination: "Join together, seeds! Speak and tell us if the wooden man carved by the Creators will be the one to sustain us when dawn breaks!" They cast the seeds and spoke the truth: "Your wooden figures will succeed; they will speak and populate the earth."

Immediately, the wooden figures were made. They had the appearance of men, spoke like men, and populated the world. They multiplied, bearing sons and daughters, but they had neither souls nor intelligence, and they did not remember their Creator. They walked aimlessly, on all fours. Because they had forgotten the Heart of Heaven, they fell from grace. Their faces were expressionless, their hands and feet lacked strength, and they possessed no blood, moisture, or flesh. Their bodies were yellow and dry.

These were the first men who existed in great numbers across the face of the earth.

#### Chapter 3

Instantly, the wooden figures were annihilated and destroyed. The Heart of Heaven brought down a massive flood upon the heads of those creatures. The flesh of the man had been made from the wood of the tzité, and that of the woman from reeds, but because they neither thought nor spoke with their Creator, they were drowned.

A heavy resin fell from the sky. The monster Xecotcovach came and gouged out their eyes; Camalotz cut off their heads; Cotzbalam devoured their flesh, and Tucumbalam broke and crushed their bones and sinews. The punishment came because they forgot their Progenitors. The face of the earth darkened, and a black rain fell day and night.

Even the animals and domestic objects turned against them. Jars, pots, plates, and grinding stones rose up and struck their faces.

The dogs and backyard birds said: "You caused us much harm; you did not feed us, and you beat us. Now, we will kill you."

The grinding stones said: "Every day, from night until dawn, our faces were worn down because of you. Now that you are no longer men, you shall feel our strength. We will grind your flesh."

Desperate, the wooden men ran to save themselves: they tried to climb onto the roofs, but the houses collapsed; they tried to climb the trees, but the branches hurled them away; they tried to enter the caves, but the caves sealed shut against them. Such was the ruin of this race. It is said that their only descendants are the monkeys that live in the forests today, and that is why the monkey resembles man: it is the reminder of a generation made only of wood.

#### Chapter 4

The earth was shrouded in a cloudy twilight, and the sun did not yet exist. However, there was an exceedingly proud being named Vucub-Caquix.

He boasted: "I shall be the sun, the light, and the moon for all created beings. Great is my splendor! My eyes are of silver, glittering like precious stones; my teeth gleam like the sky, and my nose shines from afar like the moon. When I pass before my throne, the earth lights up."

But Vucub-Caquix was not the sun; he was merely vain because of his riches and his brilliant feathers. He could see only as far as the horizon, not the entire world. His sole ambition was to dominate and glorify himself. This occurred during the era when the wooden men were destroyed.

#### Chapter 5

This is the beginning of the defeat and ruin of Vucub-Caquix, brought about by two young gods: Hunahpú and Xbalanqué. Upon witnessing the arrogance of that being, the youths said:

"It is not good for things to remain this way before true men even live upon the earth. Let us shoot him with our blowguns while he eats. We will strip him of his riches, his green stones, and his jewels of which he is so proud."

Vucub-Caquix had two sons who inherited his pride: Zipacná, the creator of mountains, and Cabracán, the one who shook them. Their mother was named Chimalmat. Since no man had been created yet, the two young gods decided it was time to destroy Vucub-Caquix and his lineage.

#### Chapter 6

Vucub-Caquix used to climb to the top of a great tree to eat its fruit. Hunahpú and Xbalanqué set an ambush, hiding among the leaves. When Vucub-Caquix approached, Hunahpú fired his blowgun, striking the giant squarely in the jaw, sending him crashing to the ground.

Hunahpú rushed forward to subdue him, but Vucub-Caquix ripped off the young god's arm and carried it home to place it over the fire. Suffering terrible pain in his teeth, Vucub-Caquix was received by his wife.

To recover the arm, the young gods sought the aid of a pair of wise old elders: Zaqui-Nim-Ac and Zaqui-Nima-Tziis. They disguised themselves as the grandchildren of the old couple, who presented themselves at the house of Vucub-Caquix as healers who knew how to extract "tooth-worms" and cure eyes.

In agony, the giant pleaded: "Cure my teeth and my eyes!"

The elders replied: "The problem is worms. We must pull your teeth and put others in their place."

"Do not do that!" protested the giant, "my pride and my royalty reside within my teeth and my eyes."

"We will put in new teeth made of ground bone," lied the old ones (in truth, they were merely grains of white corn).

They pulled the gleaming teeth of Vucub-Caquix and put the corn kernels in their place. Instantly, the giant's face withered, and he lost his majestic appearance. Next, they cured his eyes by stripping away their luster, thereby stealing all his wealth. Vucub-Caquix died of grief, and Hunahpú recovered his arm. The giant's wife, Chimalmat, also perished. Thus was the will of the Heart of Heaven fulfilled.

#### Chapter 7

This is the story of Zipacná, the eldest son of Vucub-Caquix, who bragged that he had created the mountains.

One day, Zipacná saw four hundred young men trying to drag a massive log to serve as a beam for the house they were building. Since they could not carry the weight, Zipacná placed the log on his shoulders and carried it all by himself to their house.

The four hundred young men grew terrified of the youth's strength and plotted to kill him. They asked him to go down into a deep pit to dig the earth. The plan was to hurl the great log down upon him once he was at the bottom. Aware of the trap, Zipacná dug a side tunnel to save himself.

When the young men violently threw the log into the pit, they heard a single cry and thought Zipacná was dead. Overjoyed, they prepared drinks (*chicha*) to celebrate over the coming days. On the second day, they saw ants carrying strands of hair and pieces of fingernails out of the pit (Zipacná had cut his hair and nails to deceive them).

On the third day, while the four hundred young men were completely drunk at the housewarming feast, Zipacná emerged from his hiding place, brought the entire structure crashing down upon their heads, and killed them all. Legend says these young men were transformed into the cluster of stars known as the Pleiades.

#### Chapter 8

Hunahpú and Xbalanqué resolved to avenge the death of the four hundred young men. Knowing that Zipacná's daily food consisted of fish and crabs, the gods crafted a giant artificial crab using leaves, stones, and a plant called *pahac*. They placed the replica at the bottom of a deep cavern at the base of Mount Meaguán.

They found a ravenous Zipacná by the riverbank and said: "There is an enormous crab at the bottom of that ravine, but we were frightened because it bit us."

Driven by hunger, Zipacná crawled into the cave on all fours. Just as he was nearly entirely inside the hole, the young gods caused the great mountain to collapse upon his chest. Zipacná was crushed and transformed into stone.

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