Tales of the Plumed Serpent: Aztec, Inca and Mayan MythsThree great civilizations--each with a culture as strong, colorful, and complex as those of the more familiar Greece and Rome. Through their enduring mythology, the Mayas of Yucatan, the Aztecs of Mexico, and the Incas of Peru have left us tantalizing images of their now-disappeared societies, once among the most advanced on earth. Illustrated with more than 100 photographs of important artifacts and archeological sites, this rich and fascinating collection reveals their visions of the creation of the world (and its destruction and recreation); the forces of nature; life, death and destiny; and animal spirits. 21 legends in all, each touched with magic and mystical power, include the Aztec tale "The Feathered Serpent"; the Mayan myth of "The Rain Goddess and the Egg Child"; the Incan story "How Manco-Capac Made the First People. Bonus: a list of Gods and Goddesses. |
Contents
How Viracocha Created Life INCA | 23 |
COSMIC POWERS | 49 |
ANCESTORS AND ANIMALS | 99 |
Copyright | |
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Common terms and phrases
animals Ayar Cachi Ayar Manco Ayar Uchu Aztecs ball ballcourt became began birds Blood Moon bones brothers Cabrakan calendar called caves Cavillaca Coatlicue Coniraya corn Cortés creation creator Culture Cuzco dark dawn dead divine earth east eyes feathers fire flesh forest goddess gods gold golden Grandmother Xmucane Hacauitz head heart Heaven House Huitzilopochtli human Hummingbird Hunahpu and Seven Hunahpu and Xbalanque Hurricane Inca empire Inkarrí Jaguar Quitze killed land live looked Lords of Death Lords of Xibalba Maya Mayahuel Mesoamerica Mexico MIXTEC Monkey Morning Star mother mountain Nanahuatzin night Pachacamac Pariacaca Peru plant Plumed Serpent quetzal Quetzalcoatl Quiché Rabbit rain sacred sacrifice seeds Seven Death Seven Hunahpu Seven Macaw shell skin skull snake soil Spanish stone Tahuantinsuyu Tecuciztecatl Tenochtitlan Tezcatlipoca Tohil Toltecs took tree tribes Tula twins Venus Viracocha waited woman Xibalba Xmucane Zapotecs Zipacna