Popol Vuh (also Popul Vuh or Pop Vuj) [1][2] is a text recounting the mythology and history of the Kʼicheʼ people of Guatemala, one of the Maya peoples who also inhabit the Mexican states of Chiapas, Campeche, Yucatan and Quintana Roo, as well as areas of Belize, Honduras and El Salvador.
In explaining how the Mayan gods created the world, the Popol Vuh features the Hero Twins, Hunahpu and Xbalanque, who were transformed into, respectively, the Sun and the Moon.
The Popol Vuh is the story of creation according to the Quiche Maya of the region known today as Guatemala. Translated as The Council Book', The Book of the People' or, literally, The Book of the Mat', the work has been referred to as "The Mayan Bible " although this comparison is imprecise.
The Popol Vuh, or Popol Wuj in the K’iche’ language, is the story of creation of the Maya. Members of the royal K’iche’ lineages that had once ruled the highlands of Guatemala recorded the story in the 16th century to preserve it under the Spanish colonial rule.
“Popol” is also defined as “woven mat,” and “Vuh” (Vuj) as “book.” The text weaves together Mayan stories concerning cosmologies, origins, traditions, and spiritual histories. It is considered by many Mayans as their equivalent to the Christian Bible and is held in deep reverence by them.
Often translated as the “Book of the Council” or “Book of the Community”, the Popol Vuh or Popol Wuj preserves a rich narrative of the Maya worldview, intertwining creation myths, epic heroism, and genealogical accounts of rulers.
What is the Popol Vuh or Popol Wuj, the Sacred Maya Book