. Ancient civilizations of Mexico and Central America. Indians of Mexico; Indians of Central America. THE MAYAN CIVILIZATION 00 however, they are represented apart from man, as engaged in various activities and contests. Mayan religion was clearly organized on a dualistic basis. The powers for good arc in a constant struggle with the powers for evil and mosl of the benevolent di- vinities have malevolent duplicates. In actual form the gods are partly human, hut ordi- narily the determining features are grotesque variations from the human face and figure. While beast associ- ations arc sometime
. Ancient civilizations of Mexico and Central America. Indians of Mexico; Indians of Central America. THE MAYAN CIVILIZATION 00 however, they are represented apart from man, as engaged in various activities and contests. Mayan religion was clearly organized on a dualistic basis. The powers for good arc in a constant struggle with the powers for evil and mosl of the benevolent di- vinities have malevolent duplicates. In actual form the gods are partly human, hut ordi- narily the determining features are grotesque variations from the human face and figure. While beast associ- ations arc sometimes discernible, they are rarely controlling. Sometimes, however, beast gods are represented in unmistakable fashion, good -exam- ples being the jaguar, the bat, and the moan bird. All of these have hu- man bodies and animal heads. The head position in the Mayan pantheon may with some assurance be given to a god who lias been called the Roman-nosed god and who is probably to be identified with Itzamna. According to Spanish writers Itzamna was regarded by the Mayas as the cre- ator and father of all, the inventor of writing, the founder of the Mayan civilization, and the god of light and life. This Zeus of the Mayas 1- represented in the form of an old man with a high forehead, a strongly aquiline nose, and a distended mouth, toothless, or with a single enlarged tooth in front. On the ancient monuments he is frequently . in the mouths of the Ceremonial Bar and also in association with the sun, moon, and the planet Venus. In the codices he is shown as a protector of the Maize God and in other acts beneficial to. Fig. 33. The Manikin Scep- ter, a Grotesque Figure 'with one Leg modified in- to a Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original Spinden, Herbert Joseph, 1879-1967. New York : American Museum
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, booksubjectindianso, booksubjectindiansofmexico
