http://balam.tribe.net Tribe.net. Local Connections http://balam.tribe.net/thread/530613c4-2244-454d-9813-a22c6e9ae04c#9b7d0d94-2dab-460c-b7cd-6a01fa2e81ee Balam (pl. Balamob) Jaguar spirit. There are traditionally four of these, which watch to keep evil away from Maya villages and householders, even today. The balamob were benevolent but feared, and acted as guardians of the corn fields. The Jaguar Sun God Almighty God the Sun dwells in the highest levels of heaven. When he traces the path of the sun across the sky in the daytime, his name is Kinich Ahau. When the sun falls into the West Door and enters the Underworld, he becomes the fearsome Jaguar God. From: http://www.civilization.ca/civil/maya/mmc10eng.html Wed, 27 Apr 2005 15:40:47 GMT http://balam.tribe.net/thread/530613c4-2244-454d-9813-a22c6e9ae04c#9b7d0d94-2dab-460c-b7cd-6a01fa2e81ee ۞ Karina 2005-04-27T15:40:47Z http://balam.tribe.net/thread/33291d92-8b94-4e8f-a920-290c9b933802#8fd0c77a-d371-4c23-a46d-8c4ad0186e0a Ahau-Kin Called the 'lord of the sun face'. The god of the sun, he possessed two forms - one for the day and one at night. During the day he was a man with some jaguar features, but between sunset and sunrise he became the Jaguar God, a lord of the underworld who travelled from west to east through the lower regions. From: http://fullmoon_deities.tripod.com/mayan.html Wed, 27 Apr 2005 15:38:01 GMT http://balam.tribe.net/thread/33291d92-8b94-4e8f-a920-290c9b933802#8fd0c77a-d371-4c23-a46d-8c4ad0186e0a ۞ Karina 2005-04-27T15:38:01Z http://balam.tribe.net/thread/9d8a9b02-ced5-442f-82a6-82285df9a031#70b7558b-f5d0-4f4e-929b-6a22e1d8755e From: http://fullmoon_deities.tripod.com/mayan.html Balam Mayan for 'jaguar', these deities are the protectors of individuals in their daily lives, and of the community from external menaces. Wed, 27 Apr 2005 15:36:57 GMT http://balam.tribe.net/thread/9d8a9b02-ced5-442f-82a6-82285df9a031#70b7558b-f5d0-4f4e-929b-6a22e1d8755e ۞ Karina 2005-04-27T15:36:57Z http://balam.tribe.net/thread/65b9da9f-8b62-48af-9e36-d9012d80513e#3e5cea81-9b14-4dd5-bd73-00844338c170 The Jaguar Gods of THE MAYA From: http://www.angelfire.com/folk/sunflowerfarm/ajaguar.html Bonampak Mural of Jaguars of Maya The jaguar was the most feared and respected beast in the Mesoamerican world The jaguar gods of the Maya were associated with night, caves and the underworld, like the jaguar itself, and were sometimes associated with shamanic transformations. The skin of the jaguar was used in many costumes, to denote high rank, power, authority and an association with the gods, especially in times of war. In the beautiful murals of the Maya, it is usually the rulers who wear those fashionable jaguar outfits! Twin Jaguars of the Maya In Mayan art on wall and cave murals, and on vases, the jaguar is sometimes shown in its naturally occurring color phases of black (The Jaguar God of the Underworld) or light (The Jaguar God of the Upper World). Both jaguar gods were regarded as necessary beings, without as much value judgment or labeling as to their aspects of good or evil. Both were associated with the Creator as his helpers in forming the world, and they helped promote the changes necessary for continuation of the world. Mayan Jaguar Mural From Bonampak The Maya had many jaguar deities, and associated the jaguar with power, probably because the jaguar occupies the top level of the food chain, as do humans. Often, the rulers of the Maya are depicted seated on a jaguar throne. Together, the Maya and the jaguar shared dominion over the tropical rain forest. The Accession of Pacal to the Twin Jaguar Throne of Palenque Munich Zoological Garden, 1912 Wed, 27 Apr 2005 15:27:45 GMT http://balam.tribe.net/thread/65b9da9f-8b62-48af-9e36-d9012d80513e#3e5cea81-9b14-4dd5-bd73-00844338c170 ۞ Karina 2005-04-27T15:27:45Z