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Biblical influence in Popol Vuh ?
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Sander View Drop Down
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Posts: 597 		  Quote Sander Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Biblical influence in Popol Vuh ?
    Posted: 12-Jul-2007 at 23:43
This is claimed for the Maya work. 
 
Sure, the  native author was a catholic and he mentioned Christianity and a bishop  somewhere in the Popol Vuh,  but if that s all there is , then  it aint much.
 
Anybody familar with the supposed biblical influence in the work ?
 


Edited by Sander - 13-Jul-2007 at 00:18
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Posts: 10226 		  Quote red clay Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13-Jul-2007 at 07:15
This is claimed for the Maya work.
 
 
 
Claimed by who?  The Popal Vuh predates European contact.
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  Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13-Jul-2007 at 11:52
Nope. The Popol Vuh was writen post-contact, based on ancient legends. Now, it is true there is some degree of synchretism in there, but not as much as expected. We should remember that the Popol Vuh is not the only source of Mayan thinking. Those ideas can be contrasted with Spanish chronicles, with the traditions of modern Mayan population, and even with the original writings in classical Maya writting, which is already decoded.
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Posts: 597 		  Quote Sander Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13-Jul-2007 at 19:46
the Popol Vuh , as document , is compiled by a catholic native in post contact times. There are references to Dios, Cristianoil and and the visit of a bishop.  But the histories , legends, myths etc have older roots, ofcourse.
 
Originally posted by PINGUIN

Nope. The Popol Vuh was writen post-contact, based on ancient legends. Now, it is true there is some degree of synchretism in there, but not as much as expected
 
I see. I have the idea that it aint so much either but even then, what is this syncretism then? Confused
 
For example, if there are giant flood stories or ' in the beginning there was darkness '- like phrases in passages that are related to Creation ,  then I dont see why this betrays biblical influences. They might sound similar to the Genesis passages, but such things are archaisms that will appear in many (creation )myths. After all, before creation there is supposed to be a certain nothingness etc. And ...themes like the the creation of animals and men are ony natural to expect in creation myths as well. The Bible can hardly claim a monopoly on such things.
 
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  Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13-Jul-2007 at 22:20
Originally posted by Sander

... 
I see. I have the idea that it aint so much either but even then, what is this syncretism then? Confused
 
For example, if there are giant flood stories or ' in the beginning there was darkness '- like phrases in passages that are related to Creation ,  then I dont see why this betrays biblical influences. They might sound similar to the Genesis passages, but such things are archaisms that will appear in many (creation )myths. After all, before creation there is supposed to be a certain nothingness etc. And ...themes like the the creation of animals and men are ony natural to expect in creation myths as well. The Bible can hardly claim a monopoly on such things.
 
 
Of course the Bible can't claim a monopoly. However, when things are much similar it is better to contrast it with another source to avoid influences. As far as I know most of the writings of the Popol Vuh are a precise account of the religion of the Mayas and can be cross checked elsewhere.
 
Pinguin
 
 
 
 
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Posts: 85 		  Quote Yaomitl Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14-Jul-2007 at 15:04

I'm not that familiar with the Popol Vuh, but of the little I have read, the thing that struck me was how close some parts were to similar legends told by their neighbours - the birth of the human race story (being made from two types of maize) has big parallels within Codex Chimalpopoca. If there's any Christian influence it certainly doesn't seem so strong as in the later central Mexican accounts (mostly of the white Quetzalcoatl with a beard who dropped all sorts of hints about things to come, as of seventy years previous to their being written down - if you see what I mean).
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