The Popol Vuh
The Sacred Book of the Ancient Mayas-Quiche
The Popol Vuh is one of the most important works of Mesoamerican literature and is an essential source for the study and understanding of the ancient Maya culture of Guatemala since it contains descriptions of the Mayan understanding of the creation of the world and human beings, as well as detailing their history, customs, legends and myths.
Origin of the Popol Vuh
In common with other tribes from the Mesoamerican region, the Quiche tribe of Guatemala recorded their history, beliefs, lore and important dates in hieroglyphic form in books (now known as codices) made from tree bark. Although the hieroglyphics could only be read by the priests and other leading citizens, the general population knew of the information contained in the codices through public readings and teachings. By this method important historical information was handed down from generation to generation.
Shortly after the fall of Tenochtitlan in 1521, Hernan Cortes sent troops further into Guatemala to subdue the various Indian tribes and to seize their lands and wealth. Among the defeated tribes, notable for their numbers and advanced civilisation, where the Quiche. Most of the Quiche codices were destroyed during the conquest and the great fire that destroyed the city of Utatlan but some survived and were hidden from the Spanish forces.
After the military conquest, missionaries from Spain arrived to convert the native Indian inhabitants to Christianity. These missionaries taught the Indians to read and write in Spanish and soon they were able to write about their history and traditions in their own language but using the Latin alphabet. Although his exact identity is unknown, it was one of these Quiche Indians who had been taught by the missionaries who composed the Popol Vuh.
At the beginning of the 18th century, Father Francisco Ximenez was the head of the Dominican Order in the Guatemalan town of Santo Tomas Chichicastenango. Ximenez had spent several years as a priest in various Indian villages which had given him the opportunity to study the local languages and learn to speak them fluently. Either through talking to local Quiche Indians or through stumbling across it accidently in the Convent of Chichicastenango, Ximenez discovered the existence of the Quiche manuscript which was to become known as the Popol Vuh and translated it into Spanish.
Although the copy of the Quiche version and the Spanish translation in Ximenez’s handwriting still exist, the original document has long since disappeared.
The Contents of the Popol Vuh
The Popol Vuh is divided into a preamble and four books. In the preamble the anonymous author states that his prime intention is to tell of events in the Quiche area since the birth of the first members of the tribe, their wanderings, settlements and the beginning of their history. He further states that there was an ancient book which disappeared after the arrival of the Conquistadors and that he seeks to reproduce it so its message is not lost for future generations.
The first book of the Popol Vuh describes how different human beings were created by the gods and how they were wiped out on several occasions until the final kind of humans were created. It also tells of the demigods Hunahpu and Ixbalanque who arrived on Earth to confront the evil Vucub-Caquix and his sons, the giants Zipacna and Cabracan.
The second book tells of further mythical tales, such as the adventures of Hun-Hunahpu and his brother Vacub-Hunahpu when they went to play the scared Mayan ballgame against the lords of Xibalba, the land of the dead.
The third and fourth books are about the origins of the indigenous peoples of the Quiche region, their wars, migrations and conquests. Also included are the names of the Lords who headed each of the four ruling houses, their gods, rites, ceremonies and traditions.
The Popol Vuh
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