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Wikipedia Trails Week 11 From Xibalba to Mayan ceramics |
| Mayan Pot Ceremonial pot |
Xibalba
Roughly translated as “place of fear,” it is the name given to the underworld in K’iche’ Maya mythology. The underworld was ruled by the Maya death gods and their helpers. Traditionally the entrance was thought to be in the vicinity of Coban, Guatemala. However, cave systems in nearby Belize have also been referred to as the entrance to Xibalba. The Milky Way is viewed as the road to Xibalba in some Maya areas. Described in the Popol Vuh as a court below the surface of the Earth. It has twelve gods or powerful rulers known as the Lords of Xibalba. The structure of Xibalba was of a large place with five or six houses that served as the first test of Xibalba and the Xibalban ballcourt. It is believed to have been a great city.
The main characters in the K’iche’ document called Popol Vuh. The twins are called Hunahpu and Xbalanque, complementary forces - life and death, sky and earth, day and night, sun and moon. The myth in the Popol Vuh says that the twins were ballplayers and from the seed of their dead father, who was sacrificed in the Underworld. To avenge their father, they defeated the lords of the Underworld in a ballgame. They eventually were transformed into the sun and moon, signaling the beginning of a new age
Popol Vuh
The Popol Vuh is a creation narrative telling the history and mythology of the K’iche’ people prior to the arrival of the Spanish people in the region of Guatemala. Its stories were preserved through oral tradition until it was recorded in 1550. It is believed to be the 18th century Dominican friar Francisco Ximenez made a copy of the original text in Spanish. The title is translated as “Book of the Community” or “Book of the People.” The book includes the Mayan creation myth, including the Hero Twins Hunahpu and Xbalanque.
Mayan ceramics
Produced in the Pre-Columbian Maya culture of Mesoamerica. They have varying shapes and purposes. Used in daily life were bowls, plates, cylinders. The decoration upon the vessels ranged from monochrome to polychrome slip paint depicting scenes, supernatural figures, storytelling, and simply reflecting the contents of the vessel. They were often given as gifts, which explains how they are found in various regions and also used in religious ceremonies.
Hey howdy! Super interesting how your WIki trail seemed almost to circle back to itself. I will say that I wanted to read more about how you made each selection from page to page. The information in the dialogue boxes is still a great way to disply your trail, but I wanted to hear more about what caught your interest! I wonder if you ever played the WIkipedia game back in middle school where you would race to see who would get from X and Y to Z as quickly as possible or in the fewest amount of clicks. The Wiki Trails always remind me of that.
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