Popol Vuh: The Sacred Book of the Ancient Quiché Maya

by Sylvanus G. Morley, Adrien Recino, Delia Goetz (Translation)

This is the first complete version in English of the "Book of the People" of the Quiche Maya, the most powerful nation of the Guatemalan highlands in pre-Conquest times and a branch of the ancient Maya, whose remarkable civilization in pre-Columbian America is in many ways comparable to the ancient civilizations of the Mediterranean. Generally regarded as America's oldest book, the "Popol Vuh, "in fact, corresponds to our Christian Bible, and it is, moreover, the most important of the five pieces of the great library treasures of the Maya that survived the Spanish Conquest.

The "Popol Vuh "was first transcribed in the Quiche language, -but in Latin characters, in the middle of the sixteenth century, by some unknown but highly literate Quiche Maya Indian-probably from the oral traditions of his people. This now lost manuscript was copied at the end of the seventeenth century by Father Francisco Ximenez, then parish priest of the village of Santo Tomas Chichicastenango in the highlands of Guatemala, today the most celebrated and best-known Indian town in all of Central America.

The mythology, traditions, cosmogony, and history of the Quiche Maya, including the chronology of their kings down to 1550, are related in simple yet literary style by the Indian chronicler. And Adrian Recinos has made a valuable contribution to the understanding and enjoyment of the document through his thorough going introduction and his identification of places and people in the footnotes.

280 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1954

About the author

Sylvanus Griswold "Vay" Morley was an archaeologist, epigrapher, and Mayanist scholar who made significant contributions toward the study of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization in the early 20th century.

Morley made extensive excavations of the Maya site of Chichen Itza that he directed on behalf of the Carnegie Institution. He also published several large compilations and treatises on Maya hieroglyphic writing, and wrote popular accounts on the Maya for a general audience.

To his contemporaries, "Vay" Morley was one of the leading Mesoamerican archaeologists of his day. Although more recent developments in the field have resulted in a re-evaluation of his theories and works, his publications, particularly on calendric inscriptions, are still cited. In his role as director of various projects sponsored by the Carnegie Institution, he oversaw and encouraged many others who later established notable careers in their own right. His commitment and enthusiasm for Maya studies helped inspire the necessary sponsorship for projects that would ultimately reveal much about ancient Maya civilization.

Morley also conducted espionage in Mexico on behalf of the United States during World War I, but the scope of those activities only came to light well after his death. His archaeological field work in Mexico and Central America provided suitable cover for investigating German activities and anti-American activity at the behest of the United States' Office of Naval Intelligence.

Reviews

[Anna Stephens · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hard to know how much of this had been interpreted by the Spanish and so 'altered' to fit with their view of the Maya culture, society and religion. It's also clear that by the end of the book the Quiche Maya had in many ways been both 'westernised' and converted to Christianity. It's therefore an interesting document of the Quiche at that time in their history, but not necessarily an accurate account of their beliefs prior to the Spanish conquest.

[Karina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really rating doesn't apply in this case. We are fortunate to have this historical document available.

[Ernie Dawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably not a book for the average reader unless, of course, you're interested in the ancient Maya.