THE EARTH

Itzam Cab Ain
Earth Crocodile

Earth, the middle world, is the back of a great reptile. Since reptiles are considered divine animals, earth itself constitutes a deity. According to this belief, the Maya live inside a god who provides food, water and all the materials necessary for creating clothing and buildings.

    Of all that the earth produces, there is one plant that the Maya think represents life itself: maiz (corn) According to the Popol Vuh, a sacred book written in the 12th century, the original Gods used maiz to create man, after two attempts with clay and wood failed; as humans are made of maiz, each time we consume it we renew ourselves.

    On Earth live the Tzultacah gods-whose name means mountain plain. Their number is undetermined, though in some regions they are invoked as the Thirteen Tzultacah. Each of these gods lives within the mountain it watches over. Male and female, Tzultacah exist side by side, taking on an almost worldly life: they fall in love, marry, separate, reunite, and the celebrations that take place inside the Earth for these events can be so excessive they cause rivers to overflow and lands to flood.

    The Tzultacah are protective gods, helping humans by watching over their harvests and cattle; and as owners of all game animals, they set prey free to assure men of good hunting. In return, humans worship and offer gifts to the mountains where the gods dwell, including the blood of small sacrificial animals.

    The ancient Maya all shared the same concept of the universe, in the sense that every human action was meant to please the gods and maintain the natural balance of the world. As long as humanity followed this basic premise, the gods would continue to protect the community.

    This code remains in effect today: the belief that goodness, loyalty, abstinence from physical pleasures, respect for nature, and care of children and the cornfields all lead to the thirteen levels of the Sky, where one will enjoy peace and rest. Those not complying are destined for a prolonged stay in the underworld, perhaps in the form of dogs or mules who work incessantly until—after sufficient suffering—their souls are finally allowed back to Earth for another chance.