Dumbarton Oaks Museum Part 8: Who is the Mayan God of Corn?

Sculpture of the Maize God

In August we visited the "Dumbarton Oaks Museum" in Washington, D.C. This is the last in a series of blogs that highlights some artifacts we found interesting there. In this blog we'll introduce you to the Mayan God of Corn (Maize) called "Hun Hunahpu."

WHAT IS MAIZE? 
Maize is a type of corn eaten by the Mayan people. Maize is a large grain plant first domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 10,000 years ago.
  
MAIZE GOD APPEARANCE
There is a Maize God with headdress in the form of a stylized ear of corn and hair in the form of the silk of the corn. He is shown as a youthful, handsome man. 
MAIZE GOD MYTHOLOGY

Maize

In Mayan mythology, the maize god was decapitated at harvest time but reborn again at the beginning of a new growing season. Myths about the death and rebirth of gods helped explain the cycle of the seasons and the return of maize, on which Mayan civilization depended. 
HUMANS MADE FROM CORN
The Popol Vuh, a sacred Maya book, describes how the gods formed the first humans from a dough made out of yellow and white maize after their attempts to use clay and wood had failed.
  
THE FOOD SOURCE

Mayans cooked Maize in water and white lime

For thousands of years the Mayans worshiped the maize god and believed that their ancestors were made from maize dough. Maize was the Mayan's most important food source. Today maize still forms a large part of the Central American diet in the form of tortillas.


WHERE WAS THE STATUE FOUND?
The statue at the museum was found in a pyramid-style temple in Copan, now modern-day Honduras. It was surrounded by many other maize god statues. 


LISTEN: Click to hear a BBC History about the Maize God and ancient agriculture: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/player/b00q2p6d


We hope you've enjoyed looking at some of the interesting things from the Dumbarton Oaks Museum in Washington, D.C.  Go visit and see much more!