#hunahpu

[quiltofstars]

The constellation of Crater, the Cup // E. Slawik/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/M. Zamani

Click below for some more information on this smaller southern constellation as well as an annotated image!

Crater, which comes from the Greek word krater, a type of cup used to water down wine, is one of the original 48 constellations set down by Greek astronomer Ptolemy in the 2nd century.

In Greek mythology, Crater is associated with its neighbor Corvus, the Crow. This crow was asked by Apollo to fetch him some water, but the Crow dilly-dalleyed. He found some figs and waited for them to ripe before eating them. Finally, the Crow finds some water and puts it in Apollo's cup and takes back a water snake as well, blaming it for drinking the water. Apollo sees through this ruse and angrily threw the crow, cup, and water snake up in the sky as the constellations Corvus, Crater, and Hydra. The cup is now permanently just out of reach of the thirsty and lazy Crow, serving as a warning for not obeying the gods.

There are only three officially named stars in Crater:

Alkes (α Crateris), the third-brightest star in Crater. It is a solitary orange giant star about 160 light years away. Its name comes from the Arabic word alkās meaning "the cup."

Hunahpú (HD 98129) is an orange giant star about 369 light years away. It has one confirmed exoplanet orbiting it, about twice the mass of Jupiter, named Ixbalanqué. Both names were given by the people of Honduras: Hunahpú was one of the twin gods who became the Sun in Mayan mythology, and Ixbalanqué is the other twin who became the Moon.

Amansinaya (WASP-34) is a Sun-like star about 428 light years away. It has one confirmed exoplanet orbiting it, about half the mass of Jupiter, named Haik. Both names were given by the people of the Philippines: Amansinaya is named for the primordial god of the ocean and protector of fishermen in Tagalog mythology, and Haik is his successor as god of the sea.

[glimpse-of-gaia]

Mayan God Hun Hunahpu/Hun-Nale-Ye. The Maize God – Deity of Corn, Abundance, and Renewal

Maize was the fundamental crop and lifeblood of the Maya, so its deity was central to cosmology. The Maize God is a classic dying-and-reviving deity – his narrative mirrors the agricultural cycle. In mythology (especially the Popol Vuh of the K’iche’ Maya), a version of the Maize God (Hunahpu) dies and is reborn: he was slain in the underworld by the Lords of Xibalba and then resurrected by his twin sons, emerging from the earth as the first maize plant.

This story underpins the belief that human beings themselves were created from maize dough, as the Popol Vuh explicitly states – thus the Maize God is literally a father of humanity in Maya thought. The Maize God also often represents abundance, sustenance, and prosperity, being associated with the base of the world tree and the mats of plenty. In art and codices, he can appear in scenes of world renewal: for instance, he is involved in creation dialogues with Itzamna, and on the Classic period tablets, he helps set up the world (the “First Father” figure). Cosmologically, the Maize God’s cycle is linked to the seasons – his “death” corresponds to harvest (corn cut down) and his “rebirth” to the new planting and germination. Interestingly, Maya kings often identified with the Maize God to symbolize their role in ensuring agricultural fertility and cyclical renewal of their kingdoms. The Maize God was also connected to the underworld and sky in that he travels through these realms as part of his resurrection, linking all three cosmic levels (underworld, earth, sky).

The entire agricultural calendar and daily sustenance of the Maya revolved around the Maize God. Each year, farmers performed rituals to “seed” the Maize God in the fields – planting ceremonies with prayers for the god to take root and grow. When eating their daily maize tortillas, Maya people gave thanks to this deity, acknowledging that human life was a gift of the Maize God’s sacrifice. Seasonal festivals like the harvest festival were essentially celebrations of the Maize God’s bounty; likewise, the start of the planting season involved ceremonial offerings (corn dough figurines, copal incense, etc.) to bury in the fields as symbols of the Maize God’s body returning to earth. Even household activities, such as women grinding corn, had invocations to avoid offending the corn spirit. The Maize God also influenced art and political ideology: kings donning Maize God iconography on their headdresses or carving his likeness on monuments were sending a message that under their rule the land would be fertile. In times of drought or crop failure, the Maize God’s appeasement became urgent – perhaps in the form of extra offerings or penances. Through each day’s meals and each year’s planting and harvest, the Maya lived in an ongoing relationship with the Maize God, depending on him for survival and honoring him in return.

#tulum #quanjobal #azteca #mayancalendar #ruins #visitmexico #olmec #travelgram #native #huehuetenango #ancestralknowledge #love #cancun #kukulkan #language #rivieramaya #ancient #chuj #mayacalendar #astronomy #amaya #mayanastronomy #uinal #tzolkin #culturamaya #baktun #katun #tun #winal #kin #eclipse #pottery #nahual #nahuales #acanceh #yucatan #ceramicart #lord #mayan #mexico #maya #aztec #mesoamerica #indigenous #travel #guatemala #yucatan #mexica #art #mayanruins #mayanculture #history #mayas #chichenitza #cemanahuac #anahuac #culture #photography #nativeamerican #nature #travelphotography #chujmaya #mexican #kanjobal #nativelanguage #inca #teotihuacan #history #precolumbia #toltec #culture #indigenousamerican #xico #aztecmythology #huitzilopochtli #travelphotography #olmecs #mythology #olmec #pyramid #tlaloc #teotihuacanpyramids #HunHunahpu #Hun-Nale-Ye

[hasquetzorkukudoneanythingwrong]

Mictlanmas: The War to save Christmas!

Nexo stood before the group, in what looked to be her own Santa outfit. It was dark blue in color, with a gray trim, and black highlights. The outfit generally looked tattered and damaged but still mostly put together.

“I really should've known you were the real mastermind.” Mari said to Nexo.

“Honestly, it's funny that you didn't from the start. But yes! I was the one behind everything! I'm the one who manipulated everyone into coming against you!” Nexo elaborated.

“Why?! What's your goal here?” Kuku questioned.

“...Honestly, mostly out of spite.” Nexo said.

“Que?!” Ququ asked.

“When I found out Mari was gonna be Santa, I wanted to ruin everything and take it myself!” Nexo explained. “It's so much fun too, Honestly! Now I'm ready to finish this!”

Nexo raises the grail into the air and suddenly a whirlwind of snow envelops the area, and everyone is suddenly transported to an icy cavern.

As the group looked around, they finally found everyone who's been teleported away.

“There they are!” Xolotl called out.

Everyone was now encased in ice, not only every enemy but also Quetzalcoatl and Rex too.

“Yes, I thought it was finally time to take full control. Manipulation was one thing, but things work better with absolute control. Unfortunately your father and Quetzal have proven resilient, but the rest should do!” Nexo told the group.

As that happened, everyone except Rex and Quetz broke out of the ice and were facing the group to fight.

Mari fought against Camazotz, Xolotl fought Molay and her reformed beast, Ququ and Kuku took on the twins. Eli didn't last, since her singing hurt Zotz too much, and he took her out himself.

“Ah hell, wasn't expecting infighting.” Nexo commented towards Zotz knocking Eli out.

Eventually the heroes picked off their enemies one by one, until none were left but the mastermind herself.

“So, four against one, eh?” Nexo commented. “But, let's not!” She said as she raised her grail and another snowy whirlwind overtook her and Mari. Now it was just them, in snow covered ruins of pyramids.

“Gotta say, spite is both a really annoying motivation to go against me, but also somewhat fresh generally.” Mari said to Nexo.

“Thanks, but let's finish this shall we?” Nexo said.

Then the two both transformed into their true divine forms. Giant monsters with gnashing teeth, a multitude of tendrils, all while wielding deadly weapons.

First Nexo swung her blade, then Mari blocked and responded with her hammer. As the battle raged on, the very earth shook and the skies raged. Both goddesses summoned spectral familiars of their preferred avian, Mari with crows and Nexo with owls. This continued on with spectral soldiers, monsters and so on.

The result was a full scale war on the winter wasteland that they all found themselves at.

Eventually, Mari knocked Nexo's blade out of her hands, then took her down with a blow to the head.

“That's enough trying to take Christmas for yourself, Nexo.” Mari said as she stood over her enemy. “I'll be taking that grail now.” Before one final blow, and Nexo started to fade away.

“One fucking day, I'll get the better of you.” Nexo said, right as she was gone.

“Not today, tho.” Mari said.

Maria turned back to normal, and took the grail.

As she took it, light enveloped everything. Suddenly the singularity was gone, and everyone was back home.

“Woo! I solved a Christmas singularity!” Mari cheered.

Then suddenly she was tackle-hugged by Quetzalcoatl.

“You did it Mija! I'm so proud of you!” Quetz said.

“Congratulations! You did amazing!” Rex told her.

Now that the catastrophe was avoided, it was time for Mari to fulfill her Christmas duties and deliver presents to all the good servants and staff of Chaldea! Everyone found such great joy this Christmas season, even those who didn't originally enjoy it got a nice smile out of it on this day.

Even the villain herself, Nexo, got something nice.

Not only a new scarf for the cold, but a kiss under the mistletoe from the Santa herself.

Twas one of the best Christmases Chaldea knew that night. And Maria herself was satisfied that she could follow in her mother's footsteps and be a good santa for everyone.

And as she finished her flight, she let out one last cheer "Merry Christmas to all! And to all a good night!"

And that's the finale! Hope you guys liked it! Sorry it took so damn long to get it out. But hopefully now that it is, you will all have enjoyed it. I know I enjoyed writing it. Hope you all had a good holiday season.

[lostpeace]

The maya hero twins, Xbalanque and Hunahpu.

[15pantheons]

Xbalanque: Hey guys, I found a spider. Cool little lad. Thanks for eating the mosquitoes.

Xbalanque: Oh no, where did it go?

Hunahpu: XBALANQUE, SERIOUSLY?!

[tadesart]

Popol Vuh but it’s a Cartoon Network show.

From left to right: Kukulkán, Hunahpú, Tepeu, Xbalanque, Hurakán.

[menofcolorinfantasyart]

Hunahpu by Oliver Fetscher

[thegenesysarchives]

Camazotz

The Camazotz of the Unseen World are a bit different from the others in that they are based not on a common monster, but on a god. 

Camazotz was the name of a bat god or group of bat gods in Mayan mythology, literally translating to “Death Bat”. In one story, Camazotz are bat-like monsters encountered by the Mayan hero twins Hunahpu and Xbalanque during their trials in the underworld Xibalba. The twins had to spend the night in the House of Bats, where Hunahpu’s head is stolen by the Camazotz to be used as the ball for the gods’ next ball game. In another story, Camazotz appears as messenger from Xibalba, in the form of a man with the wings of a bat. 

The Camazotz of the Unseen World take some inspiration from the Red Court Vampires of the Dresden Files book series in that their godhood was a lie they spread to convince mortals to give them blood sacrifices and increase their already substantial power. They have the ability to take on mortal disguise or appear as a “godlike” human with bat wings, though their true form is that of a monstrous bat creature.

Since the days of the Mayans they have spread to much of Central & South America, as well as up into the United States. They are particularly prominent in Hollywood, where the supernatural beauty of their mortal disguises has allowed them to reclaim some of the adoration they once had when they were worshipped as gods.

And thus ends our exploration of the Court of Blood!