Popol Vuh Research Paper

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Michael Fischer
May 5, 2017
The Popol Vuh, and Mayan Culture Mexico,or also know as The United Mexican States, is a land of vastly differing cultures and people. The land was dominated by the ancient tribes. The Mayans lived in the southern tip of Mexico. Although the Mayan civilization is known for their human sacrifice practices, but the Mayan belief system was more complex than that. When looking at the ancient stories in The Popol Vuh one can see into the complexities of the Mayan religion. The Mayans did not sacrifice humans for the fun of it. They had an intricate belief system, that revolved around the stories they told. The country itself spans 1,964,375 sq km, it is the 14th biggest country of in the world and is three times the …show more content…

(Gomez “Mayan Religion”) When most people think of the ancient religions of Mexico they go right to human sacrifice, but that's not all it was. The Mayans had a strong connection with nature. According to Maria Gomez, “The ancient Mayan deities were linked with the cardinal directions. They believed that the eastern skies were the most significance with the raising sun coming from that direction. Their homes were also designed after the cardinal directions and the Ceiba tree.” (Gomez “Mayan …show more content…

The Maya make up a majority of the population in Guatemala and have become important members of the political power structure. The many languages of the ancient mayans are still used today. “They are now seen as a permanent underclass of society and there is a big push for a desire for cultural and economic self-determination in the future”(Coc) The ancient past and culture of the Mayan people will live through it’s people and will forever be a part of the long history of Mexico.
The ancient stories of the Mayans help to show what the ancient people believed. When looking into the intricate stories it is best to start with the Popol Vuh. The Popol Vuh translates to “`The Council Book', The Book of the People' or, literally, `The Book of the Mat', the work has been referred to as "The Mayan Bible".(Mark “Popol Vuh”) One can see these comparisons in the way the book is set up both The Popol Vuh and Christian bible both are split up into separate books. The bible’s being the Old Testament, and The New Testament. The Popol Vuh is split into four distinct

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