Xibalba: Nine-Leveled Underground Place Of Fear Ruled By Lords Of Death In Maya Beliefs
A. Sutherland - AncientPages.com - The ancient Maya believed that the underworld – Xibalba – was a terrifying realm often described as a “place of fear.” In their cosmology, it was not simply a distant or symbolic location, but a powerful, active domain that influenced both the world of the living and the realm of the gods.
In some ancient accounts, Xibalba is portrayed as a shadowy kingdom ruled by malevolent deities or demons, constantly plotting against the gods in heaven, seeking to undermine cosmic order and harmony.
After the creation of the earth, the Popol Vuh says that one of the routes from the surface of the earth to the Xibalba council house was through a cave passageway at the eastern horizon. It was reached by traveling along a dangerous, rocky road riddled with obstacles, such as a river filled with blood and another full of scorpions.
This large underground city is organized into nine, gradually descending levels. It contains passages, dark caves, and the living spaces occupied by the Lords of Xibalba.
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See also:
Centeotl: Lord Of Maize Who Was Revered Before The Olmecs By All Mesoamerica’s Inhabitants
Knowledge Of Secret Ancient Underground Civilization Revealed By Maya Priests
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