What is Popol VUH?

Question

What is Popol VUH?

Answer 1

Popol Vuh - narrative about the origins, traditions and history of the
Quiché (K'iche') Maya nation told by an anonymous Guatemalan Indian who produced
the document between 1554 and l558.

In Chichicastenango around l7OO, a priest, Francisco Ximenez copied the manuscript, adding a
Spanish translation.

Now there are several (perhaps many) translations of the Popol Vuh, including Goetz and
Morley's English translation of Recinos' Spanish version, Munro Edmonson's scholarly
translation which reproduces typescript of the original Quiché (K'iche'), Dennis Tedlock's
translation done with the help of a Quiche shaman (which is nicely annotated and footnoted,
but which lacks any reproduction of the Quiché. A Native speaker of K'iche' ( Chavez ) has
also provided a translation into Spanish, and Allen Christenson has perhaps the most recent
translation (2000).

Answer 2

The Popol Vuh (Quiché for "Council Book" or "Book of the Community"; Popol Wuj in modern spelling) is the book of scripture of the Quiché, a kingdom of the post classic Maya civilization in highland Guatemala.

The book begins with the Maya civilization's creation myth followed by the stories of the Maya Hero Twins Hunahpu (Junajpu) and Xbalanque (Xb‘alanke) who are prominent figures of Maya mythology. The book continues with details of the foundation and history of the Quiché kingdom, tying in the royal family with the legendary gods in order to assert rule by divine right.

Answer 3

In simpler terms, think of it as the Mayan Bible