Itzamna

Itzamna (ētsäm'nä) [key], chief deity of the Maya. Son of Hunab Ku, the creator, he was believed to be lord of the heavens, day, and night. Thought by the Maya to have been the inventor of writing and books, Itzamna was, by extension, creator of the calendar and chronology. He was a benevolent deity.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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