Mythology of the Mayas

Visit the links below to learn about Mayan myths related to objects in the sky, and aspects of their world.

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Maya astronomers had a remarkably accurate knowledge of the apparent motion of <a href="/venus/venus.html&edu=elem">Venus</a>. They knew on what day Venus would appear again in the east after it had disappeared in the west. Venus, the morning star, was the patron planet of warfare.<p><small><em>Image courtesy of Windows to the Universe</em></small></p>

Explore Mythology of the Mayas

The Earth: Bacabs

The Maya believed the Earth was flat with four corners. Each corner was a direction shown by ...Read more

The Rain: Xib Chac

Xib Chac was the Mayan rain god. He was a fair god, and was shown by many colors. He was often ...Read more

The Moon: Ix Chel

Ix Chel, the "Lady Rainbow," was the Moon goddess in Mayan mythology. The Mayans associated ...Read more

Venus: Kukulcan

The ancient Mayans used the doorways and windows of their buildings to look at things in space. ...Read more

The Planet Mars

Mayans were sophisticated observers of the sky. Mayans used their astronomical knowledge to ...Read more

The Milky Way

Mayans seem to have thought of the Milky Way as the road along which souls walk into the underworld. ...Read more

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Did you know?

Did you know that the number of spots on the Sun's surface changes over a cycle of about 11 years?

Did you know that the Japanese god Susanowo was the god of the sea and storms, and that he had a terrible temper?

 

Earth and Space Science Concept of the Day

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Moho
xMoho : The boundary between the crust and the mantle in the earth. This is a depth where seismic waves change velocity and there is also a change in chemical composition. Also termed the Mohorovicic' discontinuity after the Croatian seismologist Andrija Moh

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Research Highlights

Composition of Rock Sediment Affected the Strength of Earthquakes in Sumatra

Earthquakes occur regularly in Sumatra, Indonesia because it is located near the boundary of two of Earth's tectonic plates. Earthquakes can create tsunamis when the seafloor moves up or down rapidly....Read more


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