place

Xibalba

The Kʼicheʼ Maya place of the dead in the Popol Vuh, a court of trials rather than a generic underworld imported from elsewhere.

Maya tradition

Xibalba belongs to Maya tradition.
Xibalba is named in the Kʼicheʼ Popol Vuh. It is not a Mexica geography and not a Greek Hades.
from Dennis Tedlock (translation) · Popol Vuh, Kʼicheʼ text written down c. 1550s; Tedlock trans. 1985/1996
belongs to · sourced · culturally specific
Xibalba is associated with Trickster.
The Hero Twins outwit the lords of Xibalba. Their cunning is a Kʼicheʼ narrative role, not Eshu and not Hermes.
from Dennis Tedlock (translation) · Popol Vuh, Kʼicheʼ text written down c. 1550s; Tedlock trans. 1985/1996
associated with · partially sourced · culturally specific
Death is associated with Xibalba.
The Popol Vuh sends the Hero Twins into Xibalba, a court of the dead with trials. It is a Kʼicheʼ below, not Duat.
from Dennis Tedlock (translation) · Popol Vuh, Kʼicheʼ text written down c. 1550s; Tedlock trans. 1985/1996
associated with · sourced · culturally specific
Underworld is connected to Xibalba.
Xibalba is one underworld. Connecting the two names is a comparative convenience; they should remain two places.
from Dennis Tedlock (translation) · Popol Vuh, Kʼicheʼ text written down c. 1550s; Tedlock trans. 1985/1996
connected to · sourced · culturally specific
Descent is associated with Xibalba.
The Hero Twins go down to Xibalba. That descent is a Kʼicheʼ court of trials.
from Dennis Tedlock (translation) · Popol Vuh, Kʼicheʼ text written down c. 1550s; Tedlock trans. 1985/1996
associated with · sourced · culturally specific