Visual depiction of the Mayan serpent at Yaxchilian.
Kukulkan (pronounced Koo-kool-kan[1]) is the feathered serpent deity of the Yucatecan Mayan peoples and surrounding cultures as well as the name of a legendary religious figure attested by the Yucatecan Mayans and the Spanish explorers. The deity is related to Aztec Quetzalcoatl and Gukumatz of the K'iche' Mayans, both also being feathered serpent gods. Little is known of the mythological figure, however the deity is known to have been important in the Mayan cosmology due to various architecture being built with the serpent in mind, notably the Pyramid of Kukuklan (or El Castillo)
Etymology[]
The cognate Can in the Mayan language refers to a prevalent lineage among the Itza Maya, suggesting a connotation of royalty to the name. In relation to the legendary figure, some scholars suggest the Kukul cognate could've been a personal name given to various prominent figures of the Can lineage.[1]
Legend[]
Mentions of a legendary figure that went by the name Kukulkan comes from the Spanish explorer Fray Deigo de Landa and in the Chilam Balams (a collection of works that describe the mythic history of various Mayan towns), however both sources have conflicting narratives. The Spanish account describes Kukulkan as a lord of the Mayan people who arrived in the tenth century and founded the city of Mayapan, which would become the capital of the Postclassical Yucatec Maya, before leaving after many years in peace. The Mayan account on the other hand identifies Kukulkan as a priest of the feathered serpent who arrived after the fall of Mayapan and the sacrifice of the Chicen Itza ruler by the Xiu Maya in the fifteenth century. This priestly figure would then lead the Itza Maya in combat with the Xui Maya in a failed attempt to reestablish Chicehn Itza's control over the northern Yucatan. The contradiction in both accounts likely means the accounts were not referring to the same person, if such a person existed at all rather than simply being a legend.[1]
Modern Folklore[]
The legend of Kukulkan as a feathered serpent deity is still prominent in the folktales of contemporary Yucatec Mayan groups. One account tells of a young Kukulkan, at the time a young human boy, who quickly began developing into a feathered serpent as he aged and would reside in a cave where he would be fed by his caring older sister. Eventually, he would grow so large he would move out of the cave and fly into the ocean which separated him from his now upset older sister. To assure her that he is okay, Kukulkan shakes the earth every July. Another account told by the Lacandon Mayan on the other hand describes Kukulkan as a huge and evil snake who is merely the pet of the supreme sun deity and creator of humans.[1]
Culture[]
Pyramid of Kukulkan, or El Castillo, in Chicen Itza.
Kukulkan in modern times is associated with Chicen Itza, an ancient Mayan city that was prominent from 750 to 1200 CE and of which some of its structures have survived to the present day. The most notable structure related to Kukulkan is the Pyramid of Kukulkan, or El Castillo, that was built prior to 1050 CE. It is 190 feet (58-59 meters) wide and 78 feet (28 meters) tall, the building having nine levels before reaching to the summit which has a square structure that houses two chambers. The pyramid is rich in symbolic allusions, such as having three stairways that have 91 steps and a fourth that has 92 steps, making the total number of steps 365, the number of days in a year. Related to Kukulkan specifically, at certain times a year such as the autumnal equinox, triangular shadows from various levels of the pyramid are cast on the northern side of the temple, with the shadows forming the shape seemingly of a giant serpent climbing the temple.[2]
Another structure of importance is the Caracol, an astronomical observatory bult prior to 800 CE. The interior of the building has been speculated to represent the inside of a conch shell, which was a notable symbol of Kukulkan and other Mesoamerican wind gods. The building was most likely used to track the travelling of Venus across the night sky, the planet being associated with various feathered serpent deities in the Mesoamerican cultures.[2]
In Popular Culture[]
- Kukulkan is a notable playable god in the online MOBA game Smite
- Kukulkan is a major antagonist in the open world RPG Genshin Impact
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Kay Almere Read, Jason J. Gonzalez (2000) Mesoamerican Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs of Mexico and Central America Oxford University Press pp.201-202
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Mark Cartwright (January 25, 2021) Kukuklan: The Feathered Serpent God of Mesoamerica World History Encylopedia
External Links[]
- Kukulkan on Wikipedia