Kʼawiil

E30684

Kʼawiil is a prominent Maya deity associated with lightning, royal power, and dynastic legitimacy in Mesoamerican religion.

Aliases (2)

Statements (47)
Predicate Object
instanceOf Maya deity
Mesoamerican deity
appearsIn Maya ceramics
Maya codices
Maya murals
Maya stelae
associatedWith dynastic legitimacy
fire
kingship
lightning
maize
rain
royal power
thunder
warfare
culture Maya civilization
depictedWith serpent leg
smoking axe or torch emerging from forehead
torch-like element
zoomorphic head
gender male deity
hasAlternativeName God K
Kauil
Kʼawil
Kʼawil Chan Kʼinich
hasIconographicFeature forehead axe or torch emitting smoke or flames
one leg replaced by serpent or torch
zoomorphic, often reptilian facial traits
influenceOn Maya concepts of sacred power
Maya royal ideology
linkedTo Maya royal headband (sak huun)
royal scepter imagery
oftenHeldBy Maya kings in iconography
relatedConcept divine kingship
sacred lightning
religion Mesoamerican religion
roleInRitual invoked in dynastic ceremonies
used to legitimate royal accession
symbolizes abundance
corn fertility
fertility
political authority
royal lineage
timePeriod Classic period Maya art
Postclassic period Maya religion
worshippedBy Classic Maya
Postclassic Maya

Referenced by (3)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
Kʼawiil ("Kʼawil")
Kʼawiil ("Kʼawil Chan Kʼinich")
hasAlternativeName
Mesoamerica
hasKeyDeity

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