Who is Chahk (Chaak)?
Speaker: Dr. Lauren Kilroy-Ewbank
The Maya rain and storm god
Roman Jupiter, Norse Thor, Zapotec Cocijo, Aztec Tlaloc. All are storm deities. This video looks at the ancient Maya god Chahk (also spelled Chaak or Chac). We identify the deity's main features and associations, and examine how we can associate him with the Codz Pop building at the Maya city-state of Kabah, as well as with screenfold manuscripts and polychrome ceramics.
Mask on the Codz Pop, 7th–11th centuries, Kabah, Yucatan, Mexico. Photo © Dr. Lauren Kilroy-Ewbank.
Video chapters
0:00 Storm gods like Jupiter and Thor
0:34 Who was Chahk?
1:00 Identifying Chahk: The Codz Pop at Kabah
1:47 Polychromed ceramic bowl with Chahk and his axe
2:34 Cenotes and maize
Learn more
Check out our entire glossary of art history.
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Find more resources about the ancient Maya of Mesoamerica.
