Jacawitz
Encyclopedia
Jacawitz was a mountain god of the Postclassic
K'iche' Maya
of highland Guatemala
. He was the patron of the Ajaw K'iche' lineage and was a companion of the sun god Tohil
. It is likely that he received human sacrifice. The word jacawitz means "mountain" in the lowland Maya language, and the word q'aq'awitz of the highland Maya means "fire mountain", which suggests that Jacawitz was mainly a fire deity, much like Tohil. In the Mam language
, the similar word xq'aqwitz means "yellow wasp" and the wasp was an important symbol of the deity and its associated lineage. In the Cholan languages, jacawitz means "first mountain.", linking the god with the first mountain of creation.
In the K'iche' epic Popul Vuh, the first people gathered at the mythical place Tollan
to receive their gods, and Mahucutah, one of the gathered K'iche' lords, received Jacawitz. The mid-9th century Stela 8 at the Terminal Classic
lowland Maya site of Seibal
describes a visitor to the city named Hakawitzil. This is an early spelling of Jacawitz and Mayanist
s Linda Schele
and Peter Mathews have proposed that the event depicted on this stela gave rise to the foundation legends
of the K'iche'. As well as being mentioned frequently in the Popul Vuh, Jacawitz is also mentioned in the K'iche' document Título de los Señores de Totonicapán.
Jacawitz was one of a triad of K'iche' deities, the other two being Tohil and the goddess Awilix
, all three were sometimes collectively referred to as Tohil, the principal member of the triad. The concept of a trinity of deities was an ancient one in Maya culture, dating back to the Preclassic period
.
. This pyramid temple was part of a complex that consisted of a patio enclosed by the temple on the northern side, a palace on the south side and a long building on the east. The Jakawitz temple complex has not yet been investigated archaeologically. The 19th century drawings by Miguel Rivera y Maestre suggest that the temple was a narrow building with four or five terraces.
Mesoamerican chronology
Mesoamerican chronology divides the history of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica into several periods: the Paleo-Indian , the Archaic , the Preclassic , the Classic , and the Postclassic...
K'iche' Maya
Maya civilization
The Maya is a Mesoamerican civilization, noted for the only known fully developed written language of the pre-Columbian Americas, as well as for its art, architecture, and mathematical and astronomical systems. Initially established during the Pre-Classic period The Maya is a Mesoamerican...
of highland Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
. He was the patron of the Ajaw K'iche' lineage and was a companion of the sun god Tohil
Tohil
Tohil was a deity of the K'iche' Maya in the Late Postclassic period of Mesoamerica. At the time of the Spanish Conquest, Tohil was the patron god of the K'iche'. Tohil's principal function was that of a fire deity and he was also both a sun god and the god of rain. Tohil was also associated with...
. It is likely that he received human sacrifice. The word jacawitz means "mountain" in the lowland Maya language, and the word q'aq'awitz of the highland Maya means "fire mountain", which suggests that Jacawitz was mainly a fire deity, much like Tohil. In the Mam language
Mam language
Mam is a Mayan language with almost 480,000 speakers as of 2002, spoken in the Mexican state of Chiapas and the Guatemalan departments of Quetzaltenango, Huehuetenango and San Marcos....
, the similar word xq'aqwitz means "yellow wasp" and the wasp was an important symbol of the deity and its associated lineage. In the Cholan languages, jacawitz means "first mountain.", linking the god with the first mountain of creation.
In the K'iche' epic Popul Vuh, the first people gathered at the mythical place Tollan
Tollan
Tollan, Tolan, or Tolán is a name used for the capital cities of two empires of Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica; first for Teotihuacan, and later for the Toltec capital, Tula-Hidalgo, both in Mexico...
to receive their gods, and Mahucutah, one of the gathered K'iche' lords, received Jacawitz. The mid-9th century Stela 8 at the Terminal Classic
Mesoamerican chronology
Mesoamerican chronology divides the history of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica into several periods: the Paleo-Indian , the Archaic , the Preclassic , the Classic , and the Postclassic...
lowland Maya site of Seibal
Seibal
Seibal, known as El Ceibal in Spanish, is a Classic Period archaeological site of the Maya civilization located in the northern Petén Department of Guatemala. It was the largest city in the Pasión River region....
describes a visitor to the city named Hakawitzil. This is an early spelling of Jacawitz and Mayanist
Mayanist
A Mayanist is a scholar specialising in research and study of the Central American pre-Columbian Maya civilization. This discipline should not be confused with Mayanism, a collection of New Age beliefs about the ancient Maya....
s Linda Schele
Linda Schele
Linda Schele was an expert in the field of Maya epigraphy and iconography. She played an invaluable role in the decipherment of much of the Maya hieroglyphics. She produced a massive volume of drawings of stelae and inscriptions, which, following her wishes, are free for use to scholars...
and Peter Mathews have proposed that the event depicted on this stela gave rise to the foundation legends
Founding myth
A national myth is an inspiring narrative or anecdote about a nation's past. Such myths often serve as an important national symbol and affirm a set of national values. A national myth may sometimes take the form of a national epic...
of the K'iche'. As well as being mentioned frequently in the Popul Vuh, Jacawitz is also mentioned in the K'iche' document Título de los Señores de Totonicapán.
Jacawitz was one of a triad of K'iche' deities, the other two being Tohil and the goddess Awilix
Awilix
Awilix was a goddess of the Postclassic K'iche' Maya, who had a large kingdom in the highlands of Guatemala. She was the patron deity of the Nija'ib' noble lineage at the K'iche' capital Q'umarkaj, with a large temple in the city...
, all three were sometimes collectively referred to as Tohil, the principal member of the triad. The concept of a trinity of deities was an ancient one in Maya culture, dating back to the Preclassic period
Mesoamerican chronology
Mesoamerican chronology divides the history of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica into several periods: the Paleo-Indian , the Archaic , the Preclassic , the Classic , and the Postclassic...
.
Temple of Jacawitz
The Ahaw K'iche' were the founding lineage of the K'iche' Maya, although they later lost power to the Kaweq lineage; as they lost status within the kingdom, so did their patron god. The temple of Jacawitz at the K'iche' capital of Q'umarkaj was one of the three tallest buildings in the city, although it faced away from the main plaza. The temple is a large mound south of the plaza, its stonework has been stripped away making its original form uncertain, although a 19th century plan of the city recorded it as a pyramidMesoamerican pyramids
Mesoamerican pyramids, pyramid-shaped structures, are an important part of ancient Mesoamerican architecture. These structures were usually step pyramids with temples on top – more akin to the ziggurats of Mesopotamia than to the pyramids of Ancient Egypt...
. This pyramid temple was part of a complex that consisted of a patio enclosed by the temple on the northern side, a palace on the south side and a long building on the east. The Jakawitz temple complex has not yet been investigated archaeologically. The 19th century drawings by Miguel Rivera y Maestre suggest that the temple was a narrow building with four or five terraces.