"…These are the words:
If they are not understood by the chiefs of the towns, ill-omened is the star adorning the night. Frightful is its house. Sad is the havoc in the courtyards of the nobles. Those who die are those who do not understand; those who live will understand it."
Roys, The Book of Chilam Balam of Chumayel
If they are not understood by the chiefs of the towns, ill-omened is the star adorning the night. Frightful is its house. Sad is the havoc in the courtyards of the nobles. Those who die are those who do not understand; those who live will understand it."
Roys, The Book of Chilam Balam of Chumayel
The ill-omened star in the sky is specifically mentioned as part of the disaster. Apparently, it has been in the sky for some time and as it changed its face, the astronomers began to worry. They finally sent out messages to all that the population should find a Maya "bomb shelter" [to use a modern concept] but since men had to work the fields and the women had to made sure the men were well-fed for their jobs, not many paid attention to the priests.
The chiefs of the town had already built strong buildings of stone, probably upon tall platforms, so they were not too concerned with the warnings of the astronomer/priests. Since hurricanes in the area sometimes flooded the land, they were safe in their stone houses high above the plains. There was plenty of room for refugees whose homes could not sustain the great winds. The people of the plains understood that their daub and wattle homes would melt with the torrential rains and flooding. They appreciated the concern of their chieftains who created a high place for all to weather such hurricanes.
The chiefs of the town had already built strong buildings of stone, probably upon tall platforms, so they were not too concerned with the warnings of the astronomer/priests. Since hurricanes in the area sometimes flooded the land, they were safe in their stone houses high above the plains. There was plenty of room for refugees whose homes could not sustain the great winds. The people of the plains understood that their daub and wattle homes would melt with the torrential rains and flooding. They appreciated the concern of their chieftains who created a high place for all to weather such hurricanes.
The chiefs knew that stone was much stronger than the lesser houses of the villages around them. Even their corn grinding metates were larger and more weighty. A huge metate, that normally could never have been lifted by one person, was found on its side near those immense destroyed "safe" platforms of stone work by the present day archaeologists in the Yucatan. These new investigators in the area also found plates and bowls smashed helter-skelter around areas that seemed to be kitchens. These shards are called sacrificial offerings to the gods when a new structure was to be built over the older one. When, in fact, if an earthquake occurs, walls tremble and shelves do not keep their contents. Plates, bowls, and pitchers, all made of baked clay, fall to the ground and break.
Regardless of circumstances, new buildings had to be constructed; bigger, stronger, taller. Men were constantly attempting to make their lives conform to the land. Yes, there had to be an offering to God, but only to insure major buildings would be strong and safe, but not plates which, when broken, normally would be used as land fill since they cannot be re-used for anything else.
Regardless of circumstances, new buildings had to be constructed; bigger, stronger, taller. Men were constantly attempting to make their lives conform to the land. Yes, there had to be an offering to God, but only to insure major buildings would be strong and safe, but not plates which, when broken, normally would be used as land fill since they cannot be re-used for anything else.
So what could have destroyed such buildings? For the answer one must again leave the Popol Vuh, even though they did give the reason that most houses were destroyed, they did not impress upon future readers, the enormity of the event. (To Be Continued.)
