Xibalba or Metnal is the word for hell in Mayan. The Mayans referred to Xibalba as a place of fright. The Mayans believed the entrance to hell was a physical place. A place you and I could find and enter. Today, I went to hell and back, literally.
The Mayans believed that the Death Lords were able to go in and out through a Cenote, cause destruction and mayhem and retreat to where they lay. To keep the Death Lords happy, the Mayans sacrificed their best men as offerings and blessings. They believed they would stay happy and let the kingdom reign in peace. There are hundreds of Cenotes in Yucatan covered in human skulls and bones at the bottom. Many Cenotes have alters with skeletons, and what appear to be offerings, strategically placed.
Mayan Gods of the Underworld and their Hierarchy
The Popol Vuh, or the Mayan bible describes Xibalba as a place beneath the Earth. There are 12 powerful gods of hell known as the Lords of Xibalba (or the Death Lords as they are sometimes called.) Two of them are Hun-Came (“One Death”) and Vucub-Came (“Seven Death.”) With Hun-Came as the most powerful god.
The remaining 10 gods are considered demons. These demons are given license to make humans suffer in various forms, including sickness, starvation, fear, destitution, pain and death.
It is noted that these demons/gods work in pairs. You have Xiquiripat (“Flying Scab”) and Cuchumaquic (“Gathering Blood”) who’s jobs are to sicken peoples blood. There is Ahalpuh (“Pus Demon”) and Ahalgana (“Jaundice Demon”) who cause peoples bodies to swell. Next you have Chamiabac (“Bone Staff”) and Chamiaholom (“Skull Staff”) who manage to turn dead bodies into skeletons when theyre dead. Ahalmez (“Sweepings Demon”) and Ahaltocob (“Stabbing Demon”) are the ones you should be careful in the middle of the night. They hide in unswept areas of peoples houses and stab people to death. The last are Xic (“Wing”) and Patan (“Packstrap”) who cause your death by making you cough up blood.
All residents of Xibalba are said to cater to the needs of these lords. They seek out and manage their deadly duties as instructed by their individual lord.
What’s a Cenote and how was it formed?
When the meteor that destroyed the dinosaurs landed, it hit the water near Yucatan. At that point the Yucatan peninsula was entirely submerged underwater. However the impact of the meteor made the sand and rock underneath very porous. Basically the sand had petrified, turning most of it into thick rock but also giving it the ability to waste away with time and form sink-holes.
There are about 2 thousand sink holes, registered and discovered. They estimate about 8 thousand are undiscovered. The jungle is so dense, you literally cannot walk through the trees. It’s just not possible.
Today, I went to two of them.
They say Cenotes have 4 phases. The cavernous Cenote is one where you enter through a cave or a hole in the rock. As you climb down, you find fresh water, fish and animals that dwell in the dark. It can be a little scary if you’re there by yourself. It’s no wonder they called it “a place of fright.”
The second phase is a half cave. This is when part of the cave has collapsed on itself, exposing the water.
The third phase is a completely open Cenote. Its big and round and beautiful. These are the popular ones you see in magazines and movies.
The fourth phase is the widening of a Cenote. It widens as it deepens. They say each Cenote is connected to each other via underwater tunnels. They are also all connected to the sea. Here you will find water as clear as pool water, fish from the sea, birds up above and perhaps bats sleeping.
Today I went to two amazing Cenotes. I went to a ‘phase one’ and ‘phase three’ Cenote. I climbed down a set of wooden steps of the first Cenote to the water. They became slippery and wet as I got to the bottom. I held on for dear life as I slipped. I didnt want to land in the hard rocks below.
As you would imagine, it was big and, yes, cavernous. Many birds chirping and flying above me while I swam in crystal clear waters. I was surrounded by rocks on all sides. As I floated in this dark cave I couldnt help but think of the Mayan and their god of the underworld, Hun-Came. I thought about how he crawled from the Cenote into the human real to cause havoc. It made my skin crawl. When you’re inside one of these, dark cavernous Cenotes, it’s easy to imagine.
We later went to another famous one. A ‘phase three’ Cenote. It was completely exposed. The cave formation had completely collapsed exposing the roots of the Alamo trees. The roots of the Alamo trees are long. They stretched out as far as possible, looking for water. They say if you find an Alamo tree, there’s a Cenote nearby. It was beautiful and not at all scary. Thats until I found the cave portion. Ekkkkk!
Cenotes are beautiful. The water is cold. If this is what hell is, it’s not a bad place. Gotta love my heritage.
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Let me break it down for you:
If you ever get a chance to go to a Cenote in the Yucatan! GO! Dont pass this up. Xbatun is the name of the Cenote below.
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