K’iche’

K’iche’, Mayan people living in the midwestern highlands of Guatemala. The K’iche’ had an advanced civilization in pre-Columbian times, with a high level of political and social organization. Archaeological remains show large population centres and a complex class structure. Written records of K’iche’ history and mythology are preserved in the Popol Vuh and in a number of other colonial documents and chronicles, written down in the K’iche’ language shortly after conquest by the Spaniards in...