Ek Chuaj, also known as Ek Chuah, Ekchuah, God M according to the Schellhas-Zimmermann-Taube classification of codical gods, is a

Postclassic In world history, post-classical history refers to the period from about 500 AD to 1500, roughly corresponding to the European Middle Ages. The period is characterized by the expansion of civilizations geographically and development of trade n ...

Maya Maya may refer to: Civilizations * Maya peoples, of southern Mexico and northern Central America ** Maya civilization, the historical civilization of the Maya peoples ** Maya language, the languages of the Maya peoples * Maya (Ethiopia), a popu ...

merchant A merchant is a person who trades in commodities produced by other people, especially one who trades with foreign countries. Historically, a merchant is anyone who is involved in business or trade. Merchants have operated for as long as indust ...

deity as well as a patron of cacao. Ek Chuaj is part of a pantheon of Maya deities that have been depicted in

hieroglyphs A hieroglyph (Greek for "sacred carvings") was a character of the ancient Egyptian writing system. Logographic scripts that are pictographic in form in a way reminiscent of ancient Egyptian are also sometimes called "hieroglyphs". In Neoplatonis ...

and artwork of various Maya sites and has been interpreted as a significant part of

Maya religion The traditional Maya or Mayan religion of the extant Maya peoples of Guatemala, Belize, western Honduras, and the Tabasco, Chiapas, Quintana Roo, Campeche and Yucatán states of Mexico is part of the wider frame of Mesoamerican religion. As is ...

Description

Ek Chuaj can either be depicted as black-and-white striped, as he is in the

Dresden Codex The ''Dresden Codex'' is a Maya book, which was believed to be the oldest surviving book written in the Americas, dating to the 11th or 12th century. However, in September 2018 it was proven that the Maya Codex of Mexico, previously known as t ...

, or entirely black, as he is in the Madrid Codex. Other distinguishing characteristics of Ek Chuaj are his mouth, which is encircled by a red-brown border, his large lower lip, and the presence of two curved lines to the right of his eye. Other depictions of Ek Chuaj show him as an old man with only a single tooth. This is the appearance he most regularly takes in the Madrid Codex. He has been depicted with a pack of goods commonly carried by

merchants A merchant is a person who trades in Commodity, commodities produced by other people, especially one who trades with foreign countries. Historically, a merchant is anyone who is involved in commerce, business or trade. Merchants have operated fo ...

, and his carrying of a burden is also indicated by the rope or

tumpline A tumpline () is a strap attached at both ends to a sack, backpack, or other luggage and used to carry the object by placing the strap over the top of the head. This utilizes the spine rather than the shoulders as standard backpack straps do. ...

tied around his head. He may also carry a spear and, in some instances, a scorpion's tail.

Significance

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Ek Chuaj holds various meanings depending upon the contexts in which he is depicted. His principal associations are with trade and cacao use.

As a Merchant Deity

Ek Chuaj is often depicted carrying a pack and a spear, indicating transportation of goods as well as the dangerous life of a merchant. In this context, Ek Chuaj is a patron deity of travelers and journeys. During journeys, travelers would stack three stones on top of each other and offer incense to Ek Chuaj at night to ensure a safe journey home.Hagar, 1900, 100-101 It is possible that Ek Chuaj and the "Guide of the Merchant," otherwise known as

Polaris Polaris is a star in the northern circumpolar constellation of Ursa Minor. It is designated α Ursae Minoris ( Latinized to ''Alpha Ursae Minoris'') and is commonly called the North Star or Pole Star. With an apparent magnitude that ...

or the North Star, are related both symbolically and linguistically. "''Ek''" can be translated as either "black" or "star".Hagar, 1900, 100-101

As a Patron of Cacao

Cacao was one of the most important products traded by Maya merchants and it was often treated as

currency A currency, "in circulation", from la, currens, -entis, literally meaning "running" or "traversing" is a standardization of money in any form, in use or circulation as a medium of exchange, for example banknotes and coins. A more general ...

. Because Ek Chuaj is a patron of cacao, owners of cacao groves would hold ceremonies or special festivals in his honor. One of these was held during Muwan, a "month" in the Maya solar calendar or '' haab'''. The presence of this ceremony suggests that Ek Chuaj was an agriculturally symbolic deity within Maya society.

Interactions with other deities

Ek Chuaj is sometimes depicted in combat, most often with Buluk Chabtan ( God F) the god of war, violence, and sacrifice. This interaction has been interpreted as representing the need for traveling merchants to have the ability to ward off hostile attacks. In the Madrid Codex, Ek Chuaj and

God L God L of the Schellhas-Zimmermann-Taube classification of codical gods is one of the major pre-Spanish Maya deities, specifically associated with trade. Characterized by high age, he is one of the Mam ('Grandfather') deities. More specifically, h ...

are closely related and sometimes nearly indistinguishable from one another. It appears that God L was a Classic Maya counterpart of Ek Chuaj. As Ek Chuaj gained influence and importance, he supplanted God L. In some cases, Ek Chuaj seems have attributes of other deities. For example, in one instance he is depicted with the head of an old man, the spine of a death god, and the tail of a scorpion.

Aliases

* Ek Chuaj * Ek Chuah * Ekchuah * God M * Black Scorpion (In Postclassic codices)

References

{{Reflist

External links

Representation of Deities of the Maya Manuscripts
by Paul Schellhas, 1904, from

Project Gutenberg Project Gutenberg (PG) is a volunteer effort to digitize and archive cultural works, as well as to "encourage the creation and distribution of eBooks." It was founded in 1971 by American writer Michael S. Hart and is the oldest digital li ...

Accession Iconography of Chan-Bahlum in the Group of the Cross at Palenque
by Linda Schele, 1976, fro
Mesoweb
Maya gods Maya mythology and religion Commerce gods