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Article: Xibalba
- Article from:
- Myths and Legends of the World
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2001 Macmillan Reference, USA. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Xibalba
In the mythology of the Maya of Middle America, Xibalba (place of fright) was an underground realm of the dead. Caves and pools of water served as entry points to the realm. During the later part of its history, the Mayan empire was sometimes called the empire of Xibalba.
A story recorded in the
Popol Vuh,
the sacred book of the Maya, tells of a visit to Xibalba by the Hero Twins, Hunahp
ú
and Xbalanq
ú
e. Much earlier their father and uncle, also twins, had been summoned by the powerful lords of Xibalba. Disturbed by the brothers' ball playing on earth, the lords had invited them to the
underworld
for a ball game and then killed them.
Later Hunahp
ú
and Xbalanq
...