Maya peoples have long dominated southern Mesoamerica, an area stretching from the lowland coast of the Yucatán Peninsula to the highland mountains of southern Guatemala. While never a unified people, they gave rise to a great civilization with a dynamic set of beliefs and stories that varied between groups and retellings. To the Maya these have always been more than fireside tales: their myths formed the foundation of their culture, weaving together their ancestral and primordial pasts into a cohesive and meaningful narrative that resonates to this day.

Here you will find the origin stories of the Maya cosmos, the creation of the sun and moon, and accounts of the relationship between the celestial realm and the underworld. Elsewhere, heroes descend to the ballcourt of the underworld, where severed heads grow like fruit on trees, the ancestors converse with animals, and the Maize god is caught in a perpetual cycle of death and rebirth.

Collectively, these captivating myths and tales reflect the enduring vibrancy of Maya cultures, from the peak of the hieroglyphic tradition in the eighth century CE, through the invasions of the Spanish conquistadors up to the present day.

The Maya reigned for almost four millennia and occupied large swathes of what is now southern Mexico and Central America. Their civilization was highly complex, divided into politically fragmented noble houses, which gave rise to a diverse mythology that can vary between groups and retellings. For example, there are three different myths about the origins of the sun and moon. In one of these creation myths, animals and objects rise up to torment humanity, while in another, pots shatter and speak, unleashing demons upon the people.

Elsewhere, heroes descend to the ball-court of the underworld, where trees grow fruit in the likeness of severed heads, the ancestors converse with animals, and the Maize God is caught in a perpetual cycle of death and rebirth. To the Maya these were more than fireside tales--these myths formed the foundation of their culture, weaving together their ancestral and primordial pasts into a cohesive and meaningful narrative.

Mallory Matsumoto skillfully evokes the vibrancy of Maya culture, from the peak of hieroglyphic tradition in the eighth century CE, through the invasions of the Spanish conquistadors, and up to the present day. The book draws from well-known texts such as the Books of Chilam Balam and the Popol Vuh, Spanish texts, as well as lesser-known sources; images; and Maya oral histories--all reflecting a history of contact and change, rather than a sealed-off past. Illustrated throughout, this volume highlights the rich, varied nature of Maya myths, offering a deeper understanding of the communities that produced these captivating stories.