HUM 2461Humanities of Latin America

Spring 2013

Day 5

• Attendance• Homework #2 for Thursday•Lecture on Mayas & Popol Vuh• Popol Vuh: discussion

A. Study Days 5 and 6: “Pre-Aztecs" materials

Homework # for Thursday:

Next homework (#2)

Native Brazilian People on Day 7

Tikal: Guatemala

Where is this?

1. Who is this?

Hasaw Chan K’awil

2. What is he known for?

3. What century C.E?

Tikal’s greatest lord;Pyramids I & II

8th century686-734

3QuestIons

Triangle at Tikal

Mayas* Mayan art

Stela Hlimestone carvingMaya site: CopánHonduras782 C.E.horror vacuiadmirationature

Mayaball playerterra cottapolychromefigurine8th century

E: Child to court; S: 336 days later; W: procession of lords; N: musicians

Chac: the Rain God: discussion

• 1974 / 1999

• Director: Rolando Klein (Chile / L.A.)

• Time: 95 minutes

• México / Chile

• Southern México

• Language(s): Mayan (Tzotzil Maya / Yukatek Maya)

Notes on Popol Vuh

Book of the People

Notes on Popol Vuh (1)

• 2500 BCE – 1550 CE: oral text• Myth: "gift of Quetzalcóatl to humans"• 353 CE: Mayas invent 365-day calendar• ca. 1550: Maya Quiché MS

– literary masterpiece – religious masterpiece– (partially) syncretic text (Maya-Christian)

Notes on Popol Vuh (2)• Toltec / Aztec influence 900 – 1500

– military & religious terms• Place: Utatlán, Guatemala (sacred geography)

– Rivers, mountains, highlands, volcanoes, valleys– Quiché came from Tula (myth)

• Popol Vuh: chronicle of one lineage: Kaveks of Quiché• Pedro de Alvarado conquered Quichés 1524-1525

Notes on Popol Vuh (3)

• ca. 1550: Maya Quiché MS– Author/scribe: Diego Reynoso, town councilman– Santa Cruz del Quiché, Guatemala– Santa Cruz del Quiché = Utatlán

• ca. 1700: Fr. Francisco Ximénez – Spanish translation– Newberry Library, Chicago

Notes on Popol Vuh (4)•Opening 2 lines:

– Are, u xe 'oher tzih.– Varal K'iche, u bi.

• This is the root of the former word.• Here is Quiché by name.

Notes on Popol Vuh (5)• Genre: near-heroic myth and history

– no single hero– myth and history of a people (Quiché Maya)– origins to 1550

• Coherent literary work–order, scope, unity, episodes

• Popol Vuh: totality of the Maya Epoch• Next Epoch: "Holy Cross"

Notes on Popol Vuh (6)• 4 Mythic Cycles• 1st Cycle: wood "men" puppets (to line 820)• 2nd Cycle: destruction of 7 Parrot & sons (l. 1674)• 3rd Cycle: Hero twins become Sun & Moon (l. 4708)• 4th Cycle: ½ of whole text (men learn to pray)

– first Fathers to present– Heart of Heaven & Earth

Notes on Popol Vuh (7)• Quiché people in 4th creation• First Fathers, from corn by creator• Quiché: most powerful Maya in Guatemala in 1550• Modern Quiché call their language Cakchiquel• Quiché society: patriarchal, patrilineal, patrilocal• "God" in Quiché: Dios qahavixel• Public religious drama / private divination

Notes on Popol Vuh (8)• Quiché (Yucatán, Aztec) calendar: sacred mystery• Quiché "count of days"

– 260 days (13 deified numbers x 20 days)– Solar calendar: 18 months x 20 days) + 5– year cycles only begin on 4 days (of 20 days)– 13-year cycle x 4 beginning days = 52 years

1. Describe this…2. What is this?3. Key Term?

1. Your words…2. Terra cotta figurine; sacrifice victim3. Realism + myth (?)

1. Describe this…2. What is this?3. Is this Realism?

4. Key Term?

1. Your words…2. Bas-relief stone carving3. Vision quest4. Mythical stylization

MayasYucatán