1. HUM 2461 Humanities of Latin America Spring 2013
Day 5
Attendance
Homework #2 for Thursday
Lecture on Mayas & Popol Vuh
Popol Vuh: discussion

2. A. Study Days 5 and 6: “Pre-Aztecs" materials
Homework # for Thursday:
A. Study Days 5 and 6: “Pre-Aztecs" materials
Next homework (#2)

3. Native Brazilian People on Day 7
Dr. Zacarias

4. Where is this?
Tikal: Guatemala

5. Tikal’s greatest lord; Pyramids I & II
1. Who is this?
3 Q u e s t I o n s
Hasaw Chan K’awil
2. What is he known for?
Tikal’s greatest lord; Pyramids I & II
3. What century C.E?
8th century

6. Triangle at Tikal

7. Mayas
* Mayan art

8. Stela H limestone carving Maya site: Copán Honduras 782 C. E
Stela H limestone carving Maya site: Copán Honduras 782 C.E. horror vacui admiratio nature

9. Maya ball player terra cotta polychrome figurine 8th century

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

11. 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)

12. Notes on Popol Vuh
Book of the People

13. 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)

14. 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

15. 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

16. Opening 2 lines: Are, u xe 'oher tzih. Varal K'iche, u bi.
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.

17. 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"

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

21. 1. Describe this… 2. What is this? 3. Key Term?
1. Your words… 2. Terra cotta figurine; sacrifice victim 3. Realism + myth (?)

22. 1. Describe this… 2. What is this? 3. Is this Realism? 4. Key Term?
1. Your words…
2. Bas-relief stone carving 3. Vision quest 4. Mythical stylization

23. Mayas
Yucatán

24. See you Tuesday
Hasta el martes
À mardi
Até terça feira

25. See you Thursday
Hasta el jueves
À jeudi
Até quinta feira