The Mayan Library is a dedicated digital archive within the Worldwide Library Project and the Ancestrix Initiative, created to preserve, revitalize, and share the ancestral knowledge of the Maya civilization. This space is committed to safeguarding the sacred texts, cosmological wisdom, traditional medicine, spiritual teachings, and ecological knowledge of the Maya people—one of the most sophisticated ancestral cultures in human history.
Through a combination of historical manuscripts, colonial-era chronicles, oral traditions, and modern ethnographic records, the Mayan Library provides free, respectful access to these teachings to promote cultural continuity, education, and bioregional respect. We approach this work under the principles of cultural sovereignty, knowledge integrity, and intergenerational responsibility, recognizing the Maya people as living carriers of this wisdom.
The following list represents the core sacred texts, codices, mythological accounts, and philosophical teachings known from the Mayan tradition, alongside revived oral teachings and community knowledge that continue to guide life in the Maya Bioregion today.
Timeline of Mayan Texts and Knowledge Sources
| Era / Period | Text / Knowledge Source | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Preclassic (c. 1000 BCE) | Proto-Maya Oral Traditions | Foundations of Maya cosmovision orally preserved before writing. |
| Classic Period (c. 250–900 CE) | Hieroglyphic Inscriptions (Stelae, Temples) | Thousands of inscriptions detailing rulers, cosmology, ceremonies. |
| Classic Period | Dresden Codex | Oldest surviving pre-Columbian book, astronomical and ritual cycles. |
| Classic Period | Madrid Codex (Tro-Cortesianus) | Ritual and divinatory texts used by Maya priests, farming knowledge. |
| Classic Period | Paris Codex | Cosmological knowledge, calendar, deities, and ceremonial rites. |
| Classic Period (possible reference) | Grolier Codex (Contested) | Discussed as an astronomical guide, authenticity confirmed by some. |
| Postclassic (1000–1500 CE) | Chilam Balam Books (various towns) | Colonial-era sacred books mixing pre-Hispanic lore with colonial record, including prophecy, medicine, astrology. |
| 1554–1558 CE | Popol Vuh (K’iche’ Maya) | Mythological and historical narrative of the K’iche’, creation stories, hero twins, cosmogony. |
| c. 1566 CE | Ritual of the Bacabs (Yucatec Maya) | Collection of healing spells, incantations, deities, and medicinal knowledge. |
| 1571 CE | Title of Totonicapán | K’iche’ document preserving lineage, migration stories, creation myths. |
| 16th Century CE | Annals of the Cakchiquels (Memorial de Sololá) | Historical chronicle by the Kaqchikel Maya, colonial interaction period. |
| Colonial Period | Doctrine of Diego de Landa | Relación de las cosas de Yucatán, vital for glyph decipherment (with colonial bias). |
| Colonial Period | Testament of Yax Kuk Mo and Copán Inscriptions | Dynastic history and cosmology preserved in stone at Copán, Honduras. |
| Modern Oral Tradition | Tz’utujil Oral Histories (Lake Atitlán) | Preserved oral narratives about volcanoes, Lake Spirits, and origins. |
| Modern Oral Tradition | Mopan & Q’eqchi’ Healing Knowledge | Plant medicine, dream interpretation, and ceremonial chants transmitted orally. |
| Contemporary Period | Sacred Fire Teachings (Ajq’ij) | Living knowledge of Mayan timekeepers (Ajq’ijab’) with ritual and calendar wisdom. |
| Contemporary Period | Maya Calendar Guides (Cholq’ij / Haab’) | Revived calendar count teachings, day-energy interpretations used in healing and guidance. |
| Contemporary Period | Living Teachings of Maya Elders | Collected teachings from councils of elders across Yucatán, Chiapas, Guatemala, and Belize. |
| Ongoing | Maya Women’s Healing Circles & Midwifery Knowledge | Preserved and revived practices in reproductive health, ceremonies, and herbalism. |
This evolving list will continue to grow as we document, recover, and support community-approved contributions, ensuring that Maya wisdom remains accessible while respecting the spiritual and cultural sovereignty of Maya peoples.
The Mayan Library is not just a digital repository; it is a living bridge between ancestral memory and modern humanity, promoting bioregional respect, spiritual literacy, and cultural resilience for generations to come.