Xibalba

Vessel depicting the action of aggressive wayob and sacrificers

Xibalba (Mayan pronunciation: [ʃiɓalˈɓa]), roughly translated as "place of fright",[1] is the name of the underworld (in K'iche': Mitnal) in Maya mythology, ruled by the Maya death gods and their helpers. In 16th-century Verapaz, the entrance to Xibalba was traditionally held to be a cave in the vicinity of Cobán, Guatemala.[2] Cave systems in nearby Belize have also been referred to as the entrance to Xibalba.[3] In some Maya areas, the Milky Way is viewed as the road to Xibalba.[4][5][6]

  1. ^ Hooker, Richard. "Native American Creation Stories". Washington State University. Archived from the original on 23 October 2017.
  2. ^ Patterson, Don (2007). Journey to Xibalba : A Life in Archaeology. Albuquerque: NM: University of New Mexico Press. p. 75. ISBN 9780826342928.
  3. ^ Walker, Amélie A. (June 2000). "My Trip to Xibalba and Back". Archaeological Institute of America.
  4. ^ Mizrach, Steve. "The Mayan Sacbe System Analyzed as an Information Web". Florida International University. Archived from the original on 23 October 2017.
  5. ^ Milbrath, Susan (1999). Star Gods of the Maya: Astronomy in Art, Folklore, and Calendars (1st ed.). University of Texas Press. p. 98. ISBN 0292752253.
  6. ^ McLeod, Alexus (2016). Astronomy in the Ancient World: Early and Modern Views on Celestial Events. Historical & Cultural Astronomy. Springer. p. 29. Bibcode:2016aaw..book.....M. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-23600-1. ISBN 978-3-319-23600-1.