description Bacab Overview
In Maya religion, the Bacabs are four deities associated with supporting the sky at its four corners. Each Bacab is linked to a cardinal direction and a corresponding color, and the group also appears in traditions concerning calendrical year-bearers. Accounts of the Bacabs are preserved in colonial-era Maya sources, including the writings of Diego de Landa and the ritual texts known as the Books of Chilam Balam.
help Bacab FAQ
Who are the Bacabs in Maya religion?
The Bacabs are four Maya deities associated with supporting the sky at its four corners. Each one is linked with a cardinal direction and a corresponding color.
How many Bacabs are there?
Traditional accounts describe four Bacabs, one for each direction. The four-part arrangement connects them with the Maya conception of a world organized around east, north, west, and south.
What colors are associated with the Bacabs?
Each Bacab is associated with a cardinal direction and a color, although details can vary between sources and traditions. Maya directional color symbolism commonly uses different colors to distinguish the four quarters of the world.
What do the Bacabs have to do with the Maya calendar?
The Bacabs also appear in traditions concerning calendrical year-bearers. In those accounts, they are connected not only with the sky but also with the forces governing particular years.
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