Mayan civilization once flourished in what is today Guatemala and the Yucatan. A distinguishing characteristic of this civilization was its highly developed written language, advanced astronomy and its very sophisticated mathematical system, which included the use of zero. As a result, Mayan history was not only written down, but was dated accurately.
In Guatemala in 1558, a young Mayan K'iche' man, who had learned to write the K'iche' language in Latin characters, transcribed what he described as a sacred book that "we can no longer see." This was the Popol Vuh. What he gave us was a written account of the creation of the universe, the gods and demi-gods in that universe, and the story of how man was created by them. Furthermore it traced the lineage of the Mayan lords. This beautifully illustrated version of the Popol Vuh allows young readers to discover one of the most ancient literary works of the Americas.
Written by Victor Montejo
Illustrated by Luis Garay
Translated by David Unger
