The chilam balam book of chumayel

The books of chilam balam are the sacred books of the maya of yucatan and were named. The chilam balam of chumayel consisted of multiple chapters but only two, chapters 3 and 18, were associated with prophecies. Book of the chilam balam of chumayel, between 1775 and 1800. Mayan chilam balam open anthology of earlier american. A principal source of knowledge of ancient mayan custom, they contain myth, prophecy, medical lore, calendrical information, and historical chronicles. The books of chilam balam are the sacred books of the maya of. Book of chilam balam of chumayel princeton university art museum. The book of chilam balam of chumayel ralph loveland roys.

Roys in his 1933 translation of this book called the americanization of christianity. Heaven born merida and its destiny, the book of chilam balam of. Among the best known are the books of chilam balam of mani, tizimin, and chumayel. Thus the book of chilam balam of chumayel is named for a village in the district of tekax, a short distance northwest of the wellknown town of teabo. This kindle edition is very well formatted with more then 50 illustrations, active footnotes and active toc. Both language and content show that parts of the books date back to the time of the spanish conquest of the yucatec kingdoms 15271546.

There is no accurate data on when the town was founded, though it existed before the conquest. Reifler bricker and helgamaria miram translators, an encounter of two worlds. There are ten or twelve, some in a fragmentary state, others apparently complete. Chilam balam of chumayel national humanities center. The mayan chilam balam books are named after yucatec towns such as chumayel, mani, and tizimin, and are usually collections of disparate texts in which. The mayan chilam balam books are named after yucatec towns such as chumayel, mani, and tizimin, and are usually collections of disparate texts in which mayan and spanish traditions have coalesced. The books of chilam balam are a set of yucatecan maya documents that were compiled during the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries covering events of the seventh to nineteenth centuries. The books of chilam balam are handwritten, chiefly 17th and 18thcenturies maya miscellanies, named after the small yucatec towns where they were originally kept, and preserving important traditional knowledge in which indigenous maya and early spanish traditions have coalesced written in the yucatec maya language and using the latin alphabet, the manuscripts are attributed to a legendary. Thus the book of chilam balam of chumayel is named for a village in the district of tekax, a short distance northwest of the wellknown. Chilam, or chilan, was his title which means that he was the mouthpiece or interpreter of the gods. Middle american research institute, tulane university, 2002. It consists of a number of abstracts on various topics selected by the compiler berendts copy was made in 1868, at which time some portions of the text were slightly more perfect than at.

Paper, orginally bound in leather today in marble boards spanish or castilian and mayan languages. The books of chilam balam are indigenous maya chronicles written in northern yucatan during the century or so following the spanish conquest. To date 2012, complete english translations are available for the following books of chilam balam. Early spanish writers claimed that the maya of northern yucatan readily accepted christianity. Download the book of chilam balam of chumayel holy books. Chilam balamchilam balam, a maya priestly class whose members predictions form the basis for local historiography. Princeton mesoamerican manuscripts, manuscripts division, department of rare books and special collections, princeton university library. Yucatan, mexico book of chilam balam of chumayel, 17751800. Chilam, or chilan, was his title which means that he. The library of alexandria is an independent small business publishing house. During a large part of the colonial period, and even down into the nineteenth century, many of the towns and villages of northern yucatan possessed books of.

Nine books of chilam balam are known, 2 most importantly those from chumayel, mani, and tizimin, 3 but many more have existed. Written mainly during the last half of the 16th century, the chilam balam of chumayel is a blend of ancient maya oral traditions and spanish conquest catholicism and therefore represents a transitional phase in the religious thought of the maya caught between their old native american religion and european christianity. The book of chilam balam of chumayel forgotten books. Book of chilam balam of chumayel princeton university. The book of chilam balam of chumayel is an ancient maya book also called the prophecy of chilam balam. The book of chilam balam of chumayel, p53 here we are told of the descent of this same ninefaceted god at the end of a fixed time period, under the slightly different name bolon mayel, and we are told that water descends with him for the baptism of the house of nine bushes. The book of chilam balam of chumayel in particular is a prime example of what r. The book of chilam balam of chumayel ebook by ralph l. Literally translated from classical yucatecan maya, chilam balam means spokesmen of the jaguar.

University of oklahoma press, 1967 ocolc579480316 online version. Roys 1933 title page preface contents plate 1 list of illustrations introduction translation i. We chose the name because it referred to the prophecy of the earths last cycle coming to an end in the year 2012. Craine and reindorp 1979, an adaptation of the 1949 mexican translation of solis. The chilam balam and the prophecy of the endtime flood. It consists from summarizing and analyzing the information and thoughts, given in different works about this theme. Most important among the remaining books of chilam balam are mani, tizimin, chumayel, kaua, ixil, tusik, and codice perez. This is the first photographic facsimile of the chilam balam manuscript compiled in the eighteenth century in yucatec maya. The yucatec mayas ascribed these to a legendary author called chilam balam, a chilam being a priest who gives oracles. Book of chilam balam of chumayel, 17751800 paper, orginally bound in leather today in marble boards spanish or castilian and mayan languages 55 20 x 15 cm leaves princeton mesoamerican manuscripts, manuscripts division, department of rare books and special collections, princeton university library. The book of chilam balam of chumayel is that they were in large part unsuccessful is evidenced by the survival of a number of documents written in maya and preserved and. The chilam balam are sacred texts of the yucatan maya that record history, myth, religion, prophecies, medicine, and calendars. Map of northern yucatan according to the book of chilam. Written in the yucatec maya language and using the latin alphabet, the.

The chilam balam of chumayel is probably the bestknown of all the books and has been widely translated. The book of chilam balam of chumayel ancient and living. During a large part of the colonial period, and even down into the nineteenth century, many of the towns and villages of northern yucatan possessed books of chilam balam, and this designation was supplemented by the name of the town to which the book belonged. Pdf the book of chilam balam of chumayel semantic scholar. Although originally there were probably many documents, only a few remain. The name chilam balam loosely translates to book of the jaguar priest in the mayan language. At colonization, chumayel became part of the encomienda system. It includes poetry, legends, and an account of the spanish. The books of chilam balam are handwritten, chiefly 17th and 18thcenturies maya miscellanies, named after the small yucatec towns where they were originally. I will discuss in this paper the book of the chilam balam of chumayel.

The books of chilam balam are the sacred books of the maya of yucatan and were named after their last and greatest prophet. The chilam balam of chumayel translated by ralph l. The books of chilam balamthe sacred book of the yucatec maya. The surviving texts we have are copies of the originals to which religious and historical material has probably been added. Cthe book of chilam balam of chumayel was found in the village of that name in yucatan. Balam means jaguar, but it is also a common family name in yucatan, so.

It didnt mean our planet was going to explode, it just meant that eventually were going to finish the natural resources mother nature. Book of the chilam balam of chumayel, between 1775 and. The books of chilam balam is named after the last and greatest mayan prophet, chilam, or chilan meaning the mouthpiece or interpreter of the gods. Sacred texts native american maya the book of chilam balam of chumayel by ralph l. These two chapters along with a katun wheel illustration, an introduction, appendix, and footnotes by roys are included below. Read the book of chilam balam of chumayel by ralph l. Detailed overview can allow getting the main ideas, advantages and disadvantages of a big amount of thoughts, facts and arguments. The word balam means jaguar, and chilam balam refers to a priest of that name from chumayel, who created with other chilams this book of history and prophecy. The book of chilam balam of chumayel is such a document, literally the history of yucatan written by and for mayas, and it contains much information not available from spanish sources because it was part of an underground resistance movement of which the spanish were largely unaware. Below you will find the mayan prophecies taken from the chilam balam of chumayel as translated by scholar ralph l. The books, which are named after the towns in which. Books of chilam balam, group of documents written in yucatec maya with spanish characters during the 17th and 18th centuries. It was compiled by juan jose hoil, a maya indian, in the year 1782.