Yum Kaax, Mayan God Of Agriculture, Lord Of Woods And Caretaker Of Animals

A. Sutherland  - AncientPages.com - The pantheon of early South and Mesoamerican gods included many deities to whom people regularly made offerings.

Yum Kaax (Lord of the woods in Yukatec) - patron of the glasshouses. Josefa Suka 1388, Botanical Garden, a relief upon the entry of the Tropicana greenhouse. Teplice, Teplice District, Ústí nad Labem Region, the Czech Republic. Image credit: ŠJu (cs:ŠJu) - CC BY-SA 3.0

One of them was Yum Kaax (also known as Ah Mun, Yum K'aax, or Yum Uil), often portrayed with the most sacred food of the Maya people - corn. His name originates from the Maya words 'Yum' ("lord") and 'Kaax' ("forest") or "the wild." Therefore, this great deity is, first of all, Lord of the Forest and guardian of all wildlife.

The ancient Maya regarded Yum Kaax as a benevolent agricultural god symbolizing abundant life and prosperity. During the Classical period, he was identified as a priest watering corn grains over Mother Earth's head.

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See also: 

Alux: Little Mythical Troublemaker And Guardian Of Corn Fields In Mayan Folklore

Ceiba Tree: Sacred Tree Of Life Of Maya People And Universal Concept In Ancient Beliefs

Centeotl: Lord Of Maize Who Was Revered Before The Olmecs By All Mesoamerica’s Inhabitants

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