The lives of the ancient Maya centered around their religion and gods of nature.

Religion
touched many aspects of their everyday lives.

Maya Gods.

The Maya believed in a large number of nature gods. Some gods were considered more
important and powerful than others.

Itzamna. The most important Maya god was Itzamna. Itzamna was the god of fire who
created the Earth. He was ruler of heaven as well as day and night. The Maya believed
that he gave them the calendar and writing. It is thought that his name means "lizard
house".

Kukulkan was a powerful snake god whose name means "feathered serpent". He was the
primary god of the Itza people in the latter part of the Maya civilization. He is often drawn
to look like a dragon.

Bolon Tzacab. Also known by the name Huracan (similar to our word for hurricane), Bolon
Tzacab was the god of storms, wind, and fire. Maya mythology said that he caused a great
flood to come when the Maya angered the gods. His name means "one leg".
Chaac was the god of rain and lightning. He had a lighting axe that he used to strike the
clouds and produce rain and storms. He was a benevolent god for the Mayans who often
sought his help for their crops. Chac was associated with creation and life. Chac was also
considered to be divided into four equal entities. Each division represented the North,
South, East, and West. Chac was also apparently associated with the wind god, Kukulcan.
Some debate persists as to whether or not Kukulcan was just a variotion of Chac.
Kinich Ahau was the Sun god. He was the patron god of the city Itzamal. Supposedly, he
visited the city at noon everday. He would descend as a macaw and consume prepared
offerings. Kinich Ahau is usually shown with jaguar-like features (ex. filed teeth). Kinich
Ahau also wears the symbol of Kin, a Mayan day. Kinich Ahau was also know by the name
Ah Xoc Kin, who was associated with poetry and music.
Yumil Kaxob, The Maize god is representative of the ripe grain which was the base of the
Mayan agriculture. In certain areas of Mesoamerica, like Yucatan, the Maize god is
combined with the god of flora, Yumil Kaxob. The Maize god is principally shown with a
headdress of maize and a curved streak on his cheek. He is also noticeable from other
gods throug his youth. Despite this youth, the Maize god was powerless by himself. His
fortunes and misfortunes were decided by the control of rain and drought. The Rain god
would protect him. However, he suffered when the Death god exercised drought and
famine.
The death god was called Yum Cimil. He also could be called Ah Puch, the god of the
Underworld. His body is predominantly skeletal. His adornments are likewise made of
bones. Yum Cimil has also been represented with a body covered with black spots
(decomposition). He also wears a collar with eyeless sockets. This adornment was the
typical symbol for the Underworld
The suicide goddess was called Ixtab. She is always represented with a rope around her
neck. The Mayans believed that suicides would lead you to heaven. Hence, it was very
common for suicides to happen because of depression or even for something trivial.
Ix Chel, the "Lady Rainbow," was the old Moon goddess in Mayan mythology. The Maya
people lived around 250 AD in what is now Guatemala and the Yucatan in Mexico.
Mayans associated human events with phases of the moon.
Ix Chel was depicted as an old woman wearing a skirt with crossed bones, and she had a
serpent in her hand. She had an assistant sky serpent, whom they believed carried all of
the waters of the heavens in its belly. She is often shown carrying a great jug filled with
water, which she overturns to send floods and powerful rainstorms to Earth.
Her husband was the benevolent moon god Itzamna. Ix Chel had a kinder side and was
worshipped as the protector of weavers and women in childbirth.
Ah Kinchil: the Sun god.
Ah Puch: the god of Death.
Ahau Chamahez: one of two gods of Medicine.
Ahmakiq: a god of Agriculture who locks up the wind when it threatens to destroy the
crops.