The Dresden Maya Codex
1.
The History of the Dresden Codex
The Dresden Codex
is one of the most valuable sources for understanding the Maya culture. This
manuscript was one of the most important keys for the decipherment of the Mayan
hieroglyphic writing. Furthermore, the most beautiful and famous figures of the
Maya gods also arise from this codex. The Dresden Codex takes its name from the
place where it is found today – in the Saxon Library of Dresden, Germany.
With some confidence, we can reconstruct
the history of this unique manuscript, which by some historians is considered
the most important prehispanic manuscript of the Americas. Most probably in
1519, the famous Spanish conqueror Hernán Cortéz sent it personally to Madrid,
to the court of the then king Charles the fifth, together with other curiosity
items. In addition to these, there were other more common items of
treasure. Somehow the codex was brought from Madrid to Vienna, where the king
had one of his residences. The codex remained there without being given any
consideration until in 1739 it was discovered in a private collection by Johann
Christian Götze, who at that time was the director of the Royal Saxon Library
of Dresden. The codex was obviously given to Götze by its unknown owner, who
must have considered it to be of no value, since he could not understand any of
it. Götze, however, donated the codex to his library at the beginning of the
year 1740.
2.
The Origin of the Dresden Codex
In 1519 Hernán Cortéz navigated along the Yucatán
coast, between Cozumel and Zempoala. Therefore we can assume that the codex
originally came from the Yucatán peninsula. This assumption is also based on
several varying hieroglyphs found in the codex corresponding to languages which
are spoken in Yucatán, and not in Chiapas or Guatemala. Furthermore, on the
basis of the extensive astronomical information contained in the codex it is
agreed by many experts that the codex originated in Chichén Itzá. We can place
the codex in the postclassical Maya period, around the year 1250. There are
some writing errors in the codex, however, which demonstrates that passages of
the codex had been copied from ancient manuscripts. Dates shown in the codex go
back to the classical period.
3.
The Production of the Maya Codices
Up to now, there
are only three known Maya codices, those of Dresden, Paris and Madrid. All the
known Maya codices are made of amate paper. The Maya and other Mesoamerican
peoples obtained this paper from the bark of the wild fig tree (ficus cotinifolia).
The bark was boiled in water until it became tender. Afterwards it was put in
strips on a wooden board; each strip being laid next to the other. The strips
were then stretched out, and pounded with a smooth stone. This process resulted
in producing a type of paper because the fibers became joined together, like in
felt material. Finally, the piece was left simply to dry in the sun. A lime
coating was added to the piece. In this way the smallest details could be drawn
on the finished product. Once finished, the amate paper was folded in the shape
of an accordion. Likewise the strips were joined together with a special glue,
made from orchids and other plants, to form a longer codex. The longest Maya
codex is the Madrid Codex with 115 pages, measuring 6.80 meters. The Dresden
Codex is made up of 39 pages, each one measuring 9 x 22 cms, and containing
drawings on both sides, excepting 4 pages, which have been left blank. This way
the codex contains drawings on 74 pages in total. The codex measures 3.56
meters in length, making it the second longest Maya codex.
4.
The Content of the Dresden Codex
The majority of the Maya codices are about
religious topics, but they also contain some pages that describe historical and
astronomical events. The Dresden Codex can be divided into several chapters. It
contains a ceremonial calendar for the different gods, the famous tables of
solar and lunar eclipses and tables for calculating the movements of the
planets Venus and Mars. Also described are ceremonies for the beginning of the
year, a big flood, and a prophecy of a Katun (a 20-year-period in the Maya
calendar).
5.
The Present Reconstructed Version
This new Dresden Codex is a reconstruction.
Those who know the different editions of the codex are aware that the original,
regrettably, is badly damaged. Above all, the thin stucco coating in the
corners has worn off. Therefore it is clear that a complete reconstruction of
the codex is not possible. It must also be mentioned that the images of the god
figures have faded during the last 800 years. For the purpose of this edition,
the pages 4 to 15 of the original codex have been redrawn. All the original
positions of the figures have been retained. The numbers and hieroglyphs of the
days were newly calculated where they had been erased, according to the logic
of the Maya calendar.
6. The Description of the Codex
In this codex we see some of the most beautiful and
well-known Maya gods, just as they are represented in the Dresden Codex. The
pages of the codex act as an almanac that describes the days of the Sacred
Calendar on which the gods carried out their rituals. Each table began with a
column of 5 hieroglyphs that represented some of the 20 days of the Sacred
Calendar of 260 days. Above this column we find a number in red. To the right
of this, there are numbers in red and in black. The numbers in red are always
ciphers. Only 13 are found. The red numbers are coefficients of the 20 Sacred
Days, while the numbers in black represent the number of days elapsed between
two dates.
0 
1 
5 
20
Above the representations of the gods there are
hieroglyphs found that form short texts which describe the corresponding
scenes.
7. The
Description of the Maya Gods
The reader will next encounter a small description of
the Maya gods. The hieroglyphs shown here correspond to the names of the gods. The
numbers behind the names of the gods indicate where this god can be found in
the codex. For example, in this codex the jaguar has the position 5A2, which
means: page 5, top part, second figure. The letter B indicates the middle part,
the letter C the bottom part.
Itzamná (1B,
3B1, 6B)
“Itzamná” – “the wise shaman or magician” – is the
highest-ranking Maya god. For many Maya he is known as the father of the gods.
He is represented with a hooknose and volute-shaped tears. Itzamná is the creator god and god of medicine. The god Itzamná is an old and wise god that
resides in heaven. The shamans and calendar priests, who predict the days of
fortune or bad luck, receive their wisdom from Itzamná. Itzamná is not
only the inventor of the complicated Maya calendar, but also of the
hieroglyphic writing. On the first page of the codex, Itzamná is emerging from the jaws of the celestial dragon.
Zak Kolel (11C2)
Zak Kolel means “maiden”. She is the goddess of love. She is
recognized by her long, untied hair that curls over her naked body. Maya
artists frequently show her in love scenes with other Maya gods in the Dresden
Codex. She also represents the waxing moon. As the moon is growing, so is the
stomach of a pregnant woman. The young goddess of the moon is also the goddess
of medicine. In the Dresden Codex, she appears many times with different birds,
which are omen for illnesses.
K’in Ahau
(1C1, 9C3, 12A1)
Kin Ahau means “lord of the sun". The hieroglyph k’in is also seen on his arm. The sun
god is the only Maya god shown with a beard. In the classical inscriptions he
is also recognized by his filed tooth. His head replaces the number 4 in the
inscriptions that contain dates. The god of the sun is also called K'inich Ahau, which means “the sun-faced
god”.
Naal (6A3,
8B2, 9A1)
The maize god is one of the most worshiped Maya gods. The wellbeing of
the people depends on his mercy. Maize is the most important plant for the
Maya. The Popol Vuh, the Mayan bible,
relates how the Maya people were created from maize. The name of the maize god
was Naal and Hunal-Yeh, which mean “maize sprout” and “reincarnation of the
first maize sprout”. The maize god is sometimes erroneously shown as Yuum K'aax. Nevertheless, this name was
never used to designate the maize god (or any other god). The expression yumil k’axob – “lords of the wooded
mountains” refers to the spirit protectors of the mountains, and has nothing to
do with the maize god. The confusion began with Sylvanus Morley, who did not
know the name of the maize god. In his book “The Ancient Maya” he mentioned for
the first time a “Yum Kax”. Since that time the error has been copied over and
over again. The maize god is easily to recognize with his head decoration in
the form of a maize sprout. As a numeral god, he represents the number 8.
K’uk’ulkan
(3A2, 4C3, 9B2)
K'ukulkan, or Kukulcan
in traditional writing, is a foreign god that does not appear within the Maya
until the postclassical period. In his name glyph we see a sign in front of his
head that represents a plum of feathers - in Maya: k'uk'ul. In the head we see an element represented with small
circles, which is also seen in the hieroglyph of the day Chic-chan, which means “snake” or “serpent”. (In the Yucatec Maya
of today it would be kan instead of chan). These two elements together: k’uk’ul kan – “feathered serpent”. Among
the Aztecs this god is known as
Quetzalcoatl. K’uk’ulkan is a
Venus god. As an opponent of the Aztec god Mictlantecuhtli
he is also called the “god of life”.
Xaman Ek’
(2A2, 10B3)
Xaman Ek’ is the god of travelers. Xaman Ek’ means “north star”, like the polar star that guides the
traveler at night. He is recognized by his monkey face. He surely represents
the howler monkey the Maya considered sacred. For this reason the glyph also
reads k'ul, which means “sacred” or
“divine”. In texts, his name glyph is used many times as an adjective for the
names of other gods. Xaman Ek’ is a
celestial god. In the Maya codices he is always shown in the sky, and never on
the earth. The howler monkey likewise stays in the canopy of the jungle and
rarely descends to the ground.
Chaak (7B1,
8B3, 12B1)
The god of rain Chaak
is easily recognized by his long hooked nose. His name means
“rain” and also “giant”. This is the god most often depicted in the Maya
codices. As with other Maya gods, this one can be subdivided into several gods.
So it is that he is sometimes seen as a quadruple god representing the four
cardinal points. The red Chaak is
sitting in the east, the yellow Chaak
in the south, the black Chaak in the
west, and the white Chaak in the
north. The god of rain is usually seen with an ax in his hand, which he uses to
cut the clouds to liberate the rain. With his torch he creates lightnings.
Chaak Balam
(5A2)
The Maya have several zoomorphic gods. The most
important animal god was the jaguar. Chaak
Balam means “big jaguar”. Sometimes it is decorated with a water
lily, since jaguars usually like to be around water. The jaguar is both feared
and venerated, and its strength and elegance has served as a symbol of power
since primitive times. This powerful and elegant animal has been a symbol of
power since early times. The Maya king is often seen on a two-headed Jaguar
throne. The Maya also associated the jaguar with the sun of the underworld. The
Olmecs believed its people to have originated from the union of a human woman
with a jaguar.
Bolon Tz’akab
K’awil (9A2)
Bolon Tz'akab
K’awil is one of the most important gods
of Maya origin. In the classic period this god appeared as the god of the
scepter. He is recognized by the fact that one of his feet transforms into a
snake. Also his forehead is represented as a mirror on which a smoking ax is
buried. K’awil means
“personification”. Bolon Tz'akab
means “9 generations”. The god K’awil
personifies the union of the elite Maya with the power of ancestry. The most
famous representation of K’awil can
be found on the lintels of Yaxchilán.
The god K’awil of the late classic
period is recognized by his big nose. He is also regarded as the god of
fertility.
Kuy (4C2, 7A1)
The owl Kuy
is a symbol of war. Her shout announces an imminent battle. The name Kuy was used as a second name by several
Maya kings when they considered themselves as triumphant warriors. See the
famous ruler Pakal of Palenque.
Kimi (7C1,
10A2, 10B1)
The god of death Kimi is easily recognized by his
skeleton. In the highlands of Chiapas this god is also known as Ah Puch. In Yucatán, however, this name
has never been evidenced.
Lahun P’et
(3B2, 5C2, 7B2)
Lahun P’et means “ten sacrifices”. He is the god of
human sacrifices. The decoration in his ear is a jaguar tail. The dots pictured
on his body represent the skin of a prisoner that has been removed and which he
has put on. He is the counterpart of the Aztec god Xipe Totec.
Buluk Ch’abtan
(2B2)
Buluk Ch’abtan means “Eleven fastings”. He is the god
of hunger and deprivation. He is also represented in the production of the New
Fire.
H’obnil (4A1,
11C2)
H’obnil is the ruler of the underworld. His name
means “sudden death”. He is recognized by his black body painting and his
elaborate headdress that features the owl Muan.
8. Examples of
Hieroglyphic Texts
(5B)
[u] nuch hol kimi
oxlahun kuy
“They are conversing, the god of death Kimi and the owl of the 13 heavens”.
(7B1)
ochiy u kakaw
chaak ox ok wah
“The god of rain Chaak
is rattling the cocoa seeds. Abundance of food [is the prophecy].”
(10B3)
u
mak’ wah xaman ek’ ox ok wah
“The god of the
polar star Xaman Ek’ is receiving
food in the form of maize. Abundance of food [is the prophecy].”
(10C2)
k’uch yatanil
tzul ...
“The vulture woman is marrying the dog man....” The
meaning of this strange marriage is unknown to us. Possibly, there exists some
astronomical constellation.
(12B1)
u pak’ah tzen chaak ahaulel
“Our ruler Chaak,
the god of rain, is planting the nourishment.”
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