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Which surviving Maya codices provide evidence about rituals, astronomy, and divination?
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Mythologies of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas
Haida argillite carving, c. 1890, depicting a folktale in which the Bear Mother endures a cesarean birth; in the National Museum of the American Indian, George Gustav Haye Center, Smithsonian Institution, New York City.
There are four known surviving Maya codices that provide evidence regarding rituals, astronomy, and divination: the Dresden Codex, the Madrid Codex, the Paris Codex, and the Grolier Codex.123
These documents, which are believed to be Postclassic copies of earlier Classic-period originals, contain significant information on these subjects:3
- Dresden Codex: Renowned for its exceptional accuracy, this codex contains complex astronomical calculations, including tables for predicting eclipses and tracking the synodical period of Venus.1
- Madrid Codex: This text provides a wealth of information concerning astrology and divinatory practices. It is particularly valuable for identifying various Maya deities and reconstructing rituals, such as those performed to usher in new years.4
- Paris Codex: This fragmentary manuscript is devoted almost entirely to Maya ritual and ceremony, including rites held to celebrate the conclusion of 20-year periods.5
- Grolier Codex: Like the others, this document is categorized among the surviving Indigenous books that deal with astronomical calculations, divination, and ritual.3