Chol; pre-Columbian Mayan iconography



Tradition title rus: 
Чоль; доиспанская иконография классических майя
Areal ID: 
14.1.5.3
Tradition analysis result motif count all: 
53.00
Tradition analysis result motif count cosmo: 
37.00

Linked Motifs

MotifNameDescription
a12Eclipses: monster’s attackSome creature or creatures regularly (sunrise and sunset, summer and winter, lunar phases) or irregularly (solar and lunar eclipses, eschatological events) attack the luminaries or shade their light
a12aEclipses: a predator animalDuring an eclipse or at other circumstances the Sun or the Moon are attacked by a predator animal (a bear, a feline, a canine, a racoon)
a3Male sun and female moonThe Moon is female or bisexual, the Sun is male
a32Figure on lunar discA figure or an imprint of some being or object are seen in the Moon. (For statistical analysis motifs A32A – A32J are also included into A32)
a32aThe Moon rabbitRabbit or hare are seen in the moon
a4Female sunThe Sun is female, the Moon is male or (more rare) also female
b125Animals exchange their organsDuring the time of creation particular species of animals (rare: plants) exchanged certain organs or traits or one animal borrowed an organ from another one but never brought it back. Thence the characteristics of these animals now. In rare cases the back exchange and restoring of the initial situation or the passing of certain organ from one animal to another without compensation are described
b17Night in containerDarkness is a particular object that can be carried (usually brought from its original owner in a container)
b22Offended person destroys the treePeople who have climbed up a tree do not share food with a person who remained below. He or she revenges on them destroying the tree. The events have cosmic dimensions
b25Pigs fall from a treePersons climb a tree or liana and fall turning into wild pigs and other game animals
b30bMurdered person turns into game animalsDifferent game animals emerge from remains of a murdered person
b3aPrimeval watersWater is the original element, the dry earth appears later
b41The talking dogBecause the dog was spreading some information, altercated with its masters, was talking in a wrong time, etc. it lost the ability to speak
b77Primeval sky close to earthOriginally the sky was close to the earth, then it has risen up
c12bPeople descend from a dogIn the beginning of time or after the flood man marries a bitch. Present people descend from them.
c14Monsters destroy peopleDuring or before the world catastrophe (deluge, darkness) wild beasts and monsters attack and destroy people
c5aBird-scoutsBirds or humans later changed to birds are sent to explore the earth (is it dry, are any survivals, to investigate why smoke rises to the sky, etc.) or to bring some soil to make the land that would be good for living
e38bPeople from gourdAfter the world cataclysm or in the beginning of times a gourd survives or appears, new people come out of it
e9The mysterious housekeeperPerson observes traces of some activity that takes place in his (rare: her) house in his (her) absence and then takes by surprise the responsible one
e9dDog-wifeMan marries a girl who initially has guise of a dog
g23Alive being turns into many objectsPerson or creature is transformed. Separate parts of its (his, her) body give origin to different objects or creatures (only etiological narratives are considered)
g9Restored forestPeople fell trees to make a garden. In the morning, the forest is intact again
h12The alive person comes to the land of the dead after somebody’s deathThe alive person comes to the land of the dead to bring back somebody who has recently died (besides stories about shamans who journey to the other world to bring back the soul of a sick person) or, having no particular aim, goes there in company of somebody who had recently died or following his or her tracks
h12cOrpheus: to return the dead wifeHusband follows his dead wife to the other world but is unable to bring her back or succeeds to do it but loses her once again
h18Hoarded game releasedGame animals were concentrated in one single place. Certain person lets them disperse in the world
h24Container opened too earlyContainer with valuables or with dangerous creatures is opened (before time). Its content goes out of control or disappear
h26Mosquitoes had to be drownedThe right way to dispose of container with stinging insects would be to throw it into the river or sea or bury in a far away place, but it was not done
h27Mosquitoes let loseStinging insects (rare diseases) had been inside a container or some enclosure. They escaped to the world when the container or enclosure was foolishly opened
h36The muddled messagePerson is sent by god to bring instructions or certain objects but distorts, forgets or replaces them. This has fatal consequences for humans or for a certain species of animals. (Lithuanian case can be a mistification)
i19People inhale the odor of foodAnthropomorphic beings satisfy their hunger cooking food and inhaling the odor
i3Weapon of ThunderThe lightning (and thunder) is (produced with) an object (axe, sword, mirror, belt, stones, skin, etc.) in hands of anthropomorphic being
i4bThunder in trouble: fights with his enemyA man helps Thunder who fights with his enemy
i78The square earthThe earth is square, the sky is usually round
i82aVenus is maleMorning and/or Evening Star is a male personage
i8eFour men at the cardinal pointsFour (or eight) anthropomorphic male persons support the earth or the sky or are placed at the four cardinal points
i8e1Four supports of the worldThe sky or the earth rests upon four or five (cardinal points and the center) supports of any kind (poles, mountains, giants)
k10Fight with the monstrous birdMonstrous bird (giant bat) predates on humans. Heroes fight with it
k10gThe man uses a fledgeling to descend to the earthA man gets into the nest of a giant bird on a high rock or tree. He descends to the earth killing the bird and fixing its feathers or wings to his body or (more often) using the bird’s nestling (riding on its back, holding its feet, fixing its feathers or wings)
k25Magic wifeA man consciously marries a woman related to the non-human world
l3Husband turns into demonA demon takes appearance of a man and comes to his wife or (rare) to other woman. The woman (alone or with her child) runs away and/or kills the monster (herself or with somebody's help)
l40Reflection and shadowPerson discovers (rare:still fails to discover) another getting to see his or her shadow or reflection in water
l46Head downwardPerson ascends, descends, walks head downward or sees the world upside down
l58Avaricious manA man does not share food with his wife or kinsfolk. He or his food is transformed (turns into a bird, into worms, etc.) in punishment
l5cRolling head is a dangerous monsterRolling head is a dangerous mobster (pursues celestial bodies, people etc.)
l6Demon clings to personA demonic being demands that a person would carry it permanently, clings to his shoulder or back
l7Chasing an animal by mistakeInstead of chasing a person, a bush spirit, a monster or a dangerous animal follows by mistake an object or animal that moves nearby
l73Ogre tries to drink a river dry and burstsThe antagonist tries to drink a river or sea and bursts
l74The returned handA bear or other dangerous being tears off and carries away a hand of a person and holds it at his sleeping place. Another person steals the hand, gives it back to the owner
l7aSticking demon: first to person and then to animalA demon who sticks to other creatures and refuses to get down sticks first to a person and then to an animal or first to an animal and then to a bird
m29gTrickster-hare or rabbitIn episodes related to deception, absurd, obscene or anti-social behavior the protagonist is hare or rabbit
m29wJaguar (ocelote, puma) is a failureBecause of its stupidity and unsocial behavior, the jaguar (ocelote, puma) suffers a reverse, is injured or dies
m47Head put to bottomsPunishing a person or animal or restoring his or its body after its disin­teg­ration, a powerful being intentionally or by chance puts head to bottoms
m56aAlligator’s secretA man or an animal beats alligator but it remains unharmed and says that he would be killed if stricken in one special place on his body. The next time the same person strikes alligator this way and kills it


Similar traditions based on Cosmology and Etiology motifs:
Shared motifs (from a list of 10 less used): 9 Tradition: Tzotzil
Shared motifs (from a list of 10 less used): 6 Tradition:
Tepehua, Totonac
Shared motifs (from a list of 10 less used): 5 Tradition:
Zoque; Izapa iconography (I millennium BC)
Shared motifs (from a list of 10 less used): 5 Tradition:
Tzeltal
Shared motifs (from a list of 10 less used): 4 Tradition:
Southern Altai: Altai proper (Altai-Kiji), Telengit
Shared motifs (from a list of 10 less used): 3 Tradition:
Lepcha
Shared motifs (from a list of 10 less used): 3 Tradition:
Sayula Popoluca (=Veracruz Mixe), Sierra Popoluca, Veracruz Zoque
Shared motifs (from a list of 10 less used): 3 Tradition:
Central Tibetans (Yu Tsang, incl. Sikkim Tibetans, Tichurong of NW Nepal)
Shared motifs (from a list of 10 less used): 3 Tradition:
Oaxaca Mixe
Shared motifs (from a list of 10 less used): 3 Tradition:
Lacandon

Similar traditions based on Adventures and Tricks motifs:
Shared motifs (from a list of 10 less used): 7 Tradition:
Zoque; Izapa iconography (I millennium BC)
Shared motifs (from a list of 10 less used): 6 Tradition:
Tzotzil
Shared motifs (from a list of 10 less used): 5 Tradition:
Quiche, Achí, Cakchiquel, Pocomchi, Pocomam
Shared motifs (from a list of 10 less used): 5 Tradition:
Tzeltal
Shared motifs (from a list of 10 less used): 4 Tradition:
Tepehua, Totonac
Shared motifs (from a list of 10 less used): 4 Tradition:
Chorti
Shared motifs (from a list of 10 less used): 3 Tradition:
Warao
Shared motifs (from a list of 10 less used): 3 Tradition:
Tojolabal, Chuj, Jacalteca, Kanjobal, Mocho (incl Tuzantec), Acatec
Shared motifs (from a list of 10 less used): 3 Tradition:
Northern Peru: Sierra (Kechua-speaking communities, Cajamarca, Ancash, Huanuco and San Martin departments; Chavin pre-Columbian iconography; Spanish sources of XVI-XVII centuries)
Shared motifs (from a list of 10 less used): 3 Tradition:
Nahuan groups of Puebla and Huasteca after AD1900