Goddesses

There is little known about the Maya pantheon because of how many written records were destroyed during the Spanish conquests. What information we do have can be confusing since the Maya gods and goddesses are often displayed in different sex counterparts or as young and old versions of themselves. One of the most important goddesses in the Maya pantheon is the moon goddess Ixchel. She has control over weaving, motherhood, fertility, womanhood, and childbirth (Coe 1977). Landa refers to her as the goddess who makes children. During the month of Zip physicians and shamans celebrate a feast in her honor and sacrifice divination stones and medicinal bundles. It is thought that she may represent the waning of the moon, or one of the moon phases, since it is often referred to as the grandmother and Ixchel is most often depicted as an older woman (Coe 1977). Rather than the goddess of fertility she may instead represent the safe birthing of a child along with that, almost as a midwife goddess. Midwives were usually older women in the village who had a great deal of life experience, this would correlate with her being called the grandmother, her older appearance, and being represented with the waning stage of the moon. Ixchel is also represented as the goddess of war when she is depicted with a serpent headdress, cross bone skirt, and claws. Her gaping mouth in these instances often represents cannibalism, much like the war women Cihuacoatl, and many have made the connection that her hunger in this form for captives gives rise to new life in her midwife form (Thompson 1970). Ixchel is also the goddess of rain which gives rise to new crops and the harvest. This manifestation of her powers ties in to fertility of not only Maya women but also of the fields they tend to (Thompson 1970). I would like to argue the correlation between Ixchel's powers and the beliefs toward Maya women's gender roles in society. She oversees birthing, weaving, and the harvest; all of these are the main roles that common Maya women play is society. However, it seems as when necessary she rises to the occasion of war to aid in battle. Ixchel is a strong goddess whose power is subtle yet influential. She is looked at to bring new life and provide the necessary items that the Maya people need to survive such as food. She is also a healer and giver of medicine, all encompassing the role of compassion a woman is thought to possess. The Maya revered her powers that we very much modeled after the women in their lives who served as providers and life givers.

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