A Grammar of the Yucatecan Mayan Language
by David & Alejandra Bolles

The Prophecy of Chilam Balam

In the body of literature written early in the colonial period by the Maya there is a collection of prophecies called "U Tzol Than Ah Kinoob" (the interpretation (of visions) of the priests). This collection contains the prophecy by the priest Chilam Balam about the coming of foreigners bringing with them a new religion as well as prophecies by other priests. This is the portion of colonial Yucatecan Mayan literature which has received the most attention by outsiders to the Mayan culture since these prophecies became known by the Spanish friars. A portion of these prophecies was published by Lizana in 1633. Since the prophecy by Chilam Balam is the most important of these prophecies, it is from this prophet that the whole body of native Yucatecan Mayan literature dealing with Mayan religion has received its name, namely "The Books of Chilam Balam".

There are five sources for this collection of prophecies: The Book of Chilam Balam of Chumayel, Lizana, Codex Perez (Mani), Codex Perez (Oxkutzcab), and The Book of Chilam Balam of Tizimin. With the exception of the introductory remarks found only in the Chumayel, the only complete and continuous source for this collection of prophecies is to be found on pages 65-75 of the Codex Perez (Mani). The Tizimin would also be a complete source were it not for the fact that its folio 9 has been lost.

It is difficult to give a date as to when these prophecies might have been written. In the Cuceb the writer of that material, Ah Kauil Cħel, says that he went on a journey with Ah Na Puc Tun and Ah Xupan Nauat to Bacalar, Chetumal, and other places in that vicinity in the year 8 Muluc (probably 1510-1511). He states further that he finished writing down the Cuceb material in hieroglyphs with Ah Na Puc Tun on 11 Chuen, 18 Zac, which fell on the 15th of February, 1544. These three men are three of the six priest which have their prophecies given in "U Tzolan Than Ah Kinoob". The other three are Ah Natzin Yuban Chan, Ah Na Puc Tun, and of course Ah Kin Chilam Balam. It seems possible that in their journey to the east that the three Uxmal priests might have visited Chilam Balam in his house at Hol Ha (port) Ecab. This would be especially true if the three Uxmal priests traveled by boat along the coast of Yucatan. They would have had to pass Ecab on their journey to and from Chetumal.

There is an introductory remark in "U Tzol Than Ah Kinoob" of how these six priests gathered at Chilam Balam's house and how they heard a voice speaking over his house. To hear the voice Chilam Balam lay face down in his house in a trance. "Chilam" means "lying down", "reclining", and the text says, "He is called Chilam (reclining) because he lays face down." The core of the prophecy which was heard was "yumyah u netzil uit kuk yetel yaxum" (The quetzal and the green bird preened its disheveled tail.). It seems that the interpretations of the prophecy given by each of the six priests is somehow based on this cryptic message.

It should be mentioned that much of the prognosticatory material in the Books of Chilam Balam shows a certain uniformity in writing style (grammar, vocabulary, phraseology, etc.). While it is tempting to ascribe this uniformity to the work of a single person, this uniformity could also be the result of an educational system in which much of the learning was done by rote.

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