Photographer's Note
I found this beautiful wood carving of the Mayan God of Creation, Itzamná in the lobby of the small hotel we stayed at in the small village of El Remate.
Itzamná was one of the most important deities of Mayan mythology. The ruler of the heavens and of day and night, he was often shown in Mayan art as a pleasant, toothless old man with a large nose. He was also identified as the son of the creator god Hunab Ku.
In various myths, Itzamná appears as a culture hero who gave the Maya the foundations of civilization. According to legend, he taught them to grow corn, to write, to use calendars, and to practice medicine. He also introduced a system for dividing up the land, and he established rituals for religious worship
Itzamná is sometimes linked with the sun god Kinich Ahau and the moon goddess Ixchel. The goddess may have been Itzamná's wife or a female form of his deity. Like Itzamná, she gave people many useful skills, such as weaving. However, Ixchel had a destructive nature and could cause floods and other violent events, while Itzamná was always kind and protective toward humans.
Source: The Myth encyclopedia
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Photo Information
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Copyright: Chris Chafer (sandpiper)
(6788)
- Genre: Luoghi
- Medium: Colore
- Date Taken: 2009-03-26
- Categories: Opera d'arte
- Camera: Pentax K100D Super, Sigma 18-50 1:3,5-5,6 DC, ISO 200, Hoya Cir. Polarizer 58 mm
- Esposizione: f/3.5, 1/60 secondi
- Versione Foto: Versione Originale
- Tema(i): Belize/Guatemala [view contributor(s)]
- Date Submitted: 2009-06-23 3:22