Mayan Indian Flood Myth
In many cultures, there is a creation myth that tells of the gods creating humanity and then destroying the disappointing results. The Mayan culture of Mesoamerica shares in this tradition and has many parallels in the neighboring cultures. Despite the prevalence of such myths worldwide, the evidence for them is mixed.
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First Creation
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The first creatures made by the creator called Heart of Sky were animals. After it was seen that animals lacked speech and could therefore not pray to and praise their creator, they were thereafter destined to inhabit the wilds and be food for humanity once it had been successfully created.
Creation of Humanity
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The next creatures made by Heart of Sky were mud men. They were able to speak for a time but would dissolve in water or break apart because of the softness of the material from which they were made. The next attempt came in the form of men carved from wood. These wooden men were at first considered a success.
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Flood
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These new humans did not last long. Because they did not have souls or minds, they did not praise Heart of Sky as had been hoped. Also, humanity quickly forgot the source of their creation. The creator was angered by this and sent floods to destroy what they believed to be another failed attempt at creating the race of men.
Similarity to Other Myths
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The Mayan flood myth is very similar to other flood myths. Many cultures tell of the gods' unhappiness with their first attempt at creating humanity and the destruction of all but a few of the new creations by a world wide flood.
Scientific Evidence
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Evidence for any of the floods from myth is mixed. Some researchers believe ocean floor samples from the Gulf of Mexico that show evidence of freshwater from 10,000 to 12,000 years ago are proof such floods occurred. Others believe the presence of canyons and other geological formations buried within the fossil record show such a flood was impossible.
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