List of Maya gods and supernatural beings

The Maya people, who lived in parts of what is now Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, and Honduras, believed in many gods and magical beings. These gods were very important in their daily lives and stories. They had special names, and we learn about them from old books and writings like the Popol Vuh and the Madrid Codex. Some of these names come from the Yucatec and Kʼicheʼ languages.

Many of these gods had different roles, like taking care of the sky, the rain, or even helping with farming. The Maya people thought these gods lived in special places and had great powers. Learning about these gods helps us understand how the Maya saw the world around them.

The names of these gods are listed in alphabetical order, from A to Z. This makes it easy to find and learn about each one. Exploring these stories gives us a glimpse into the rich culture and beliefs of the ancient Maya.

Maya mythological beings

This list includes important spirits and gods from ancient Maya stories. The information comes from old books and stories, such as the Books of Chilam Balam, Lacandon stories, writings by Diego de Landa, the Madrid Codex, and the Popol Vuh.

The sources for these names are:

• CHB – Books of Chilam Balam
• LAC – Lacandon ethnography
• L – de Landa
• M – Madrid Codex
• PV – the Popol Vuh.

A

Acan

Acan was the god of wine and happy feelings, linked to the special drink called Balché.

Acat

Acat was the god who watched over tattoos and the art of tattooing.

Alom

Alom was a sky god who helped create the world and everything in it.

Ah-Muzen-Cab

Ah-Muzen-Cab was the god of bees and the sweet honey they make.

Awilix

Awilix was the goddess of the Moon and the peaceful night.

B

Bacab

The Bacab was an old god who lived inside the earth and brought thunder. Sometimes, there were four Bacabs, each standing for one of the four directions.

Baalham

Baalham was a jaguar god who lived in the underworld. He and other jaguar gods helped protect people and communities.

Bitol PV

Bitol was a sky god. He was one of the powerful gods who tried to create humans twice.

Bolon Tzʼakab (Dzacab) L god K

Bolontiku CHB

Bolontiku was a group of nine gods who lived in the underworld.

Bolon Yokteʼ

Bolon Yokteʼ, meaning "Nine Strides," was mentioned in old books called the Books of Chilam Balam and in ancient writings. We do not know exactly what he did.

Buluc Chabtan [ god F ]

Buluc Chabtan was the god of war, fighting, and games of chance.

C

Cabrakan

Cabrakan was a god of mountains and earthquakes. He was the son of Vucub Caquix and Chimalmat.

Cacoch *LAC*

Cacoch, also known as kacoch, was a male creator god worshipped by the Lacandon people. He was linked to Acan, the god of wine, and was said to have created the water lily that other gods came from.

Camazotz *PV*

Camazotz was the god of bats, night, death, and sacrifice. He came from a place called Xibalba, a place of fright.

Can Tzicnal *L*

Can Tzicnal was the Bacab of the north, linked to the color white and the Muluc years. He was the son of Itzamna and Ixchel.

Chac *L*

Chac was the god of rain, thunder, and lightning. He carried an axe of lightning and was the brother of Kinich Ahau.

Chac Uayab Xoc *L*

Chac Uayab Xoc was a fish god and the patron deity of fishermen.

Chiccan

Chiccan was a group of four Chorti rain gods who lived in lakes and created rain clouds from the water. Like the Bacabs, each rain god was linked to a cardinal direction. Chiccan was also the name of a day in the Tzolkin cycle of the calendar.

Cit-Bolon-Tum

Cit-Bolon-Tum was a god of medicine and healing.

Chimalmat

Chimalmat was a giant and the mother of Cabrakan and Zipacna by Vucub Caquix.

Chin

Chin was the main god of relationships.

Cizin

Cizin was a god of earthquakes and death who lived in Metnal.

Colel Cab

Colel Cab was the goddess of bees.

Colop U Uichkin

Colop U Uichkin was an eclipse deity.

Coyopa

Coyopa was the god of thunder and the brother of Cakulha.

E

Ek Chuaj *M* (God M)

Ek Chuaj was known as the "black war chief" and was loved by warriors and merchants. Pictures of him often show him with a bag over his shoulder and a special cloak made from a jaguar. He had a long nose and a dangling lower lip, and sometimes even looked like he had a scorpion’s tail. In one old book called the Madrid Codex, he is painted completely black.

G

The Palenque kingdom had three important gods. There was a sea god with a shell ear, a baby lightning god, and a jaguar god of fire who was also the patron of the number seven.

Ku'ku'lkan was a feathered snake god and creator. This god was important to many cultures in Mesoamerica. Ku'ku'lkan was linked to the god Kukulkan of Yucatán and to Quetzalcoatl of the Aztec. He was the god of the seas, oceans, wind, and storms.

H

Hachäkʼyum *LAC*

Patron deity of the Lacandon.

Hobnil *L*

Bacab of the east.

Hozanek *L*

Bacab of the south.

Hermanjilo

No description

Hun-Batz *PV*

"One Howler Monkey", one of two stepbrothers of the Hero Twins, one of the Howler Monkey Gods and patron of the arts.

Hun-Came *PV*

"One-Death", a lord of the underworld (Xibalba) who, along with Vucub-Came "Seven-Death", defeated Hun Hunahpu. They were defeated by the Hero Twins.

Hun-Chowen *PV*

One of the two stepbrothers of the Hero Twins, one of the Howler Monkey Gods and patron of the arts.

Hun-Hunahpu *PV*

The father of the Maya Hero Twins Ixbalanque and Hun-Ahpu. He was defeated in Xibalba, the underworld, by the rulers of Xibalba.

Hunab Ku

"Sole God", identical with Itzamna as the highest Yucatec god; or a more abstract upper god.

Hun-Ahpu *PV*

One of the Maya Hero Twins.

Hunahpu-Gutch *PV*

One of the thirteen creator gods who helped create humanity.

Hunahpu Utiu *PV*

One of the thirteen creator gods who helped to create humanity.

Hun-Ixim

"One-Maize", a reading of the name glyph of the Classic Period Tonsured Maize God

Hun-nal-ye

A now-obsolete reading of the name glyph of the Classic Period Tonsured Maize God

Hunraqan *PV*

"One-Leg", one of three lightning gods together called "Heart of the Sky", and acting as world creators. God of the weather, wind, storms, and fire

Itzamna

The creator god. A very important god at that.

Itzananohkʼu

A patron god of the Lacandon people.

Xbalanque

Ixchel *L* [goddess O]

Jaguar goddess of midwifery, medicine and the moon.

Ixmucane *PV*

One of the thirteen creator gods who helped create humanity, grandmother of the Hero Twins.

Ixpiyacoc *PV*

A creator god who helped create humanity.

J

Jacawitz PV

Jacawitz was a mountain god in the beliefs of the Kʼicheʼ Maya people during the later periods of their history. He was important to them as a spirit of the mountains.

K

Kʼawiil (Kawil, Kauil)

Kʼawiil was an important god in ancient Maya religion. He was known as the Classic name of God K and was linked to other powerful figures like Itzamna and Uaxac Yol.

K'inich Ahau

K'inich Ahau was the sun god, representing the bright and powerful sun in Maya beliefs.

Kisin (Cisin)

Kisin was often shown as the god of death in Maya stories and art.

Kukulkan

Kukulkan, meaning "Feathered Serpent," was a significant Maya god. Though his story became more mixed with Mexican traditions later, he started as Waxaklahun Ubah Kan, the War Serpent, in ancient Maya times.

M

A title of respect meaning "Grandfather" was used for many Maya gods. These included spirits of the earth and mountains, as well as the four Bacabs.

Maximon was a god who watched over travelers, merchants, healers, and those who liked to play tricks. Later, Maximon became linked with Saint Simon and is part of celebrations during Holy Week.

N

Nakon

Nakon was a god of war in Maya religion. He was known as a very powerful god, stronger than other war gods from different religions.

Nohochacyum

Nohochacyum was a creator and destroyer god. He was the brother of the death god Kisin, or possibly another earthquake god also named Kisin. Nohochacyum was the enemy of the world serpent Hapikern. Stories say that at the end of days, he would defeat Hapikern by wrapping him around himself. In some versions, this act would end all life on Earth. Nohochacyum was also linked to other gods like Usukan, Uyitzin, Yantho, and Hapikern, who were not kind to humans. He was the brother of Xamaniqinqu, the god who protected travelers and merchants.

Q

Qaholom *PV*

Qaholom was one of the creator gods in Maya stories.

Qʼuqʼumatz *PV*

Qʼuqʼumatz was a Feathered Snake god and a creator. This god is known in many cultures of Mesoamerica. Qʼuqʼumatz of the Kʼicheʼ Maya is related to the god Kukulkan of Yucatán and to Quetzalcoatl of the Aztecs.

T

Tepeu *PV*

Tepeu was a sky god and one of the creator deities. He helped make humans three different times.

Tohil *PV*

Tohil was a special god for the Kʼicheʼ people. They built a big temple for him in their capital city, Qʼumarkaj.

Tunkuruchu *PV*

Tunkuruchu was an ancient owl who would tell people about their coming deaths. Once, at a party with other birds, some humans made fun of him. In return, he would visit them to announce that they would soon die.

V

Vatanchu

"Straight God", a mountain god from the Postclassic period in Manche Chʼol.

Votan

A legendary ancestor god from Chiapas.

Vucub-Caquix *PV*

A bird being whose wife is Chimalmat. The bird's sons are two giants named Cabrakan and Zipacna.

W

Water Lily Jaguar

The Water Lily Jaguar was one of the jaguar gods.

Wuk Sip

Wuk Sip was a hunting god of the Yucatec Maya. He was thought to have ears and antlers.

X

Xaman Ek

The god of travelers and merchants. People would give offerings to him by the side of roads when they were traveling.

Xbalanque *PV* [god CH]

One of the Hero or War Twins, and companion to Hunahpu.

Xcarruchan

A mountain god from the Postclassic Manche Chʼol people.

Xmucane and Xpiayoc *PV*

A creator god couple who helped make the first humans. They are also the parents of Hun Hunahpu and Vucub Hunahpu. They were called Grandmother of Day, Grandmother of Light, and had titles like midwife and matchmaker.

Xquic

She was the daughter of Cuchumaquic, one of the lords of the underworld, Xibalba. She is known for being the mother of the Hero Twins, Hunahpu and Xbalanque, and is sometimes seen as the Maya goddess linked to the waning moon.

Y

Yaluk

Yaluk is one of four important figures called “Grandfathers” from the Mopan people. He is also known as the main god of lightning.

Yopaat

Yopaat was a valued god of rain in the places of Copán and Quiriguá in the southern Maya lands.

Yum Kaax

Yum Kaax was the god of forests, wild places, and hunting. People asked for his help when they were getting ready to clear land for growing maize.

Z

Zac Cimi *L*

The Bacab of the west.

Zipacna *PV*

A demonic personification of the earth crust.