| Ah-Muzen-Cab | |
|---|---|
God of bees and honey | |
 | |
| Animals | Bees |
Ah Muzen Cab[pronunciation?] is the Maya god of bees and honey. He is possibly the same figure as "the Descending God" or "the Diving God" and is consistently depicted upside-down. The Temple of the Descending God is located in Tulum. The bees used by the Maya are Melipona beecheii and Melipona yucatanica, species of stingless bee.
In the Chilam Balam[edit]
The Chilam Balam mentions Ah-Muzen-Cab in Chapter I: The Ritual of the Four World Corners, and Chapter X: The Creation of the World. In it, Ah Muzen Cab represents the East and North. He also blindfolded the Oxlahalun-ti-ku, who were then seized and beaten by the Bolon-ti-ku, allowing the incomplete world to be filled by rocks, trees, and seeds.[1]
In popular culture[edit]
Ah Muzen Cab is a playable god in the video game Smite.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ The Book of Chilam Balam of Chumayel. Washington DC: Carnegie Institution of Washington. 1933. pp. 22, 51.
- Milbrath, Susan (1999). Star Gods of the Maya: Astronomy in Art, Folklore, and Calendars. The Linda Schele series in Maya and pre-Columbian studies. Austin: University of Texas Press. ISBN 0-292-75225-3. OCLC 40848420.
- Taube, Karl A. (1993). Aztec and Maya Myths (4th University of Texas printing ed.). Austin: University of Texas Press. ISBN 0-292-78130-X. OCLC 29124568.
