File:The myths of Mexico and Peru (1913) (14597450369).jpg

Identifier: mythsofmexicoper01spen (find matches)
Title: The myths of Mexico and Peru
Year: 1913 (1910s)
Authors: Spence, Lewis, 1874-1955
Subjects: Indians of Mexico Indian mythology Indians of Mexico Indians of South America Indian mythology Indians of South America
Publisher: New York, T. Y. Crowell company
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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e of Mayapan. These thevictors spared, and they finally settled in Zotuta, in thecentre of Yucatan, a region of almost impenetrableforest. It would not appear that the city of Chichen-Itza, theprince of which was ever the head and front of therebellion against the Cocomes, profited in any way fromthe fall of the suzerain power. On the contrary, tradi-tion has it that the town was abandoned by its inhabi-tants, and left to crum-ble into the ruinous state inwhich the Spaniards found it on their entrance intothe country. The probability is that its people quittedit because of the repeated attacks made upon it by theCocomes, who saw in it the chief obstacle to theiruniversal sway ; and this is supported by tradition,which tells that a prince of Chichen-Itza, worn outwith conflict and internecine strife, left it to seek thecradle of the Maya race in the land of the settingsun. Indeed, it is further stated that this princefounded the city of Peten-Itza, on the lake of Peten, inGuatemala.156
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The Prince who went to Found a City Gilbert Tames i?6 THE MAYA TULAN The Maya Peoples of Guatemala When the Maya peoples of Guatemala, the Kichesand the Kakchiquels, first made their way into thatterritory, they probably found there a race of Mayaorigin of a type more advanced and possessed of moreancient traditions than themselves. By their connectionwith this folk they greatly benefited in the direction ofartistic achievement as well as in the industrial arts.Concerning these people we have a large body of tradi-tion in the Popol Vuh, a native chronicle, the contentsof which will be fully dealt with in the chapter relatingto the Maya myths and legendary matter. We cannotdeal with it as a veritable historical document, but thereis little doubt that a basis of fact exists behind thetradition it contains. The difference between the lan-guage of these people and that of their brethren inYucatan was, as has been said, one of dialect only, anda like slight distinction is found in their my

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