Abstract

GARCIA BARRIOS, Ana. The Myth of the Flood in the Accession Ceremonies of the Maya Rulers: Agents Responsible for the Saurian Beheading and the New Foundations. Estud. cult. maya [online]. 2015, vol.45, pp.9-48. ISSN 0185-2574.

The decipherment of texts from the Hieroglyphic Platform of Temple XIX at Palenque confirmed that the classical version of the flood myth was similar to that of certain colonial texts, highlighting the protagonist as a celestial crocodile who caused the flooding of the land and then was beheaded. On his body were placed the four world trees to lift and hold the sky. Then, a supernatural stood on the decapitated reptile. This action has been interpreted as a fecundation ritual that marked the beginning of a new era; however, F. Scandar (2010) argues that the action of standing does not refer here to fertilize, but to found or establish, an action represented in Mesoamerica with footprints. It is in this sequence of myth -from decapitation (death and chaos) to the action of stepping on (reorganization of a new world)-, where our interest is focused on the monuments of accession to the throne, with ascending footsteps that cross the captive crocodile image. This essay suggests that during the accession to throne prehispanic Maya lords were displayed as victorious mythical heroes who brought death to the saurian responsible for flooding (chaos) and as founders of a new world.

Keywords : flood; Starry Deer Crocodile; ruler; Chilam Balam; Classic Maya; footprints.