The Maya Myths

The perfect introduction to the gods, heroes and ancestors of the great Maya civilization.

Highly complex and divided into politically fragmented noble houses, the Maya civilization produced a diverse and complicated mythology that varies between groups and retellings. For example, there are three different myths about the origins of the sun and moon, in one creation myth animals and objects rise up to torment humanity; whilst in another, pots shatter and speak, unleashing demons upon the people.

Elsewhere, heroes descend to the ballcourt 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. But 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.

In The Maya Myths Mallory Matsumoto skilfully evokes the enduring vibrancy of Maya culture, from the peak of the Maya hieroglyphic tradition in the eighth century AD, through the invasions of the Spanish conquistadors up to the present day. The book draws from texts, images and Maya oral histories, reflecting a history of contact and change, rather than a sealed-off past. The Maya region has always been fragmented, leading to a unique cultural and linguistic diversity resulting in a varied and intriguing mixture of stories. Here are well-known texts like the Books of Chilam Balam and the Popol Vuh, Spanish texts, as well as lesser-known sources. This will highlight the richness and varied nature of Maya myths, offering readers a deeper understanding of the communities that produced these captivating stories.

About the Author

Mallory Matsumoto is assistant professor in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Texas at Austin. Her research, which draws on text, image and archaeological remains, engages questions of language, material culture and identity in indigenous Maya communities in colonial Mexico and Central America. Her books include Land, Politics, and Memory in Five Nija’ib’ K’iche’ Títulos: 'The Title and Proof of Our Ancestors'.