The Maya Myths: A Guide to the Gods, Heroes and Ancestors by Matsumoto, Mallory E.
The Maya Myths: A Guide to the Gods, Heroes and Ancestors by Matsumoto, Mallory E.

The Maya Myths: A Guide to the Gods, Heroes and Ancestors

The Maya reigned for almost four millennia and occupied large swathes of what is now southern Mexico...
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Author: Mallory E. Matsumoto
Format: Hardcover
Language: English
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The Maya Myths: A Guide to the Gods, Heroes and Ancestors by Matsumoto, Mallory E.

The Maya Myths: A Guide to the Gods, Heroes and Ancestors

$39.67
The Maya Myths: A Guide to the Gods, Heroes and Ancestors by Matsumoto, Mallory E.

The Maya Myths: A Guide to the Gods, Heroes and Ancestors

$39.67
Author: Mallory E. Matsumoto
Format: Hardcover
Language: English
Description

The Maya reigned for almost four millennia and occupied large swathes of what is now southern Mexico and Central America. Their civilization was highly complex, divided into politically fragmented noble houses, which gave rise to a diverse mythology that can vary between groups and retellings. For example, there are three different myths about the origins of the sun and moon. In one of these creation myths, animals and objects rise up to torment humanity, while in another, pots shatter and speak, unleashing demons upon the people.

Elsewhere, heroes descend to the ball-court of the underworld, where trees grow fruit in the likeness of severed heads, the ancestors converse with animals, and the Maize God is caught in a perpetual cycle of death and rebirth. To the Maya these were more than fireside tales--these myths formed the foundation of their culture, weaving together their ancestral and primordial pasts into a cohesive and meaningful narrative.

Mallory Matsumoto skillfully evokes the vibrancy of Maya culture, from the peak of hieroglyphic tradition in the eighth century CE, through the invasions of the Spanish conquistadors, and up to the present day. The book draws from well-known texts such as the Books of Chilam Balam and the Popol Vuh, Spanish texts, as well as lesser-known sources; images; and Maya oral histories--all reflecting a history of contact and change, rather than a sealed-off past. Illustrated throughout, this volume highlights the rich, varied nature of Maya myths, offering a deeper understanding of the communities that produced these captivating stories.



Author: Mallory E. Matsumoto
Publisher: Thames & Hudson
Published: 09/30/2025
Pages: 224
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.11lbs
Size: 8.01h x 5.42w x 1.05d
ISBN: 9780500026540

About the Author
Matsumoto, Mallory E.: - Mallory E. Matsumoto is assistant professor in the department of religious studies at the University of Texas at Austin. Her research, which draws on text, image, and archaeological remains, engages questions of language, material culture, and identity in indigenous Maya communities in colonial Mexico and Central America. Her books include Land, Politics, and Memory in Five Nija'ib' K'iche' T.tulos: "The Title and Proof of Our Ancestors."
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