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Pascual Abaj
Maya idol in Chichicastenango, Guatemala From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Pascual Abaj (alternatively written Pascual Ab'aj),[1] also known as Turcaj,[2] Turk'aj,[3] Turuk'aj and Turukaj,[4] is a pre-Columbian Maya idol at Chichicastenango that survived the Spanish conquest of Guatemala and which is still venerated by the local community. It is the best-known example of such an image.[5] The image was badly damaged in the 1950s by members of Catholic Action.[6]
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History
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After the Spanish conquest, the stone figure is said to have been carried away from a site in the village of Chichicastenango and reset upon the hill so offerings could be made away from the vigilance of the Catholic Church and the Spanish colonists.[2]
Before it was defaced, the statue was described as a grotesque human figure with a large head and high, pointed forehead. It had two circular earspools in line with its mouth; its arms were crossed on its chest, with the fingers extended. A cord was sculpted around its waist, to which was attached the image of an inverted severed human head. It stood approximately 1 metre (3.3 ft) high. An observer in the 1950s noted that the figure appeared to have been buried sometime in the past.[4]
Traditional Maya shamans regularly perform ceremonies at the shrine, by day and night.[3] The statue is set upon a small altar surrounded by offerings, which include pine branches, crosses, flowers, copal resin, and items crafted from stone.[3] The shrine has now become a popular tourist attraction where visitors witness traditional Maya ceremonies.[7]
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Location
The shrine is located upon a wooded ridge overlooking the Chichicastenango valley,[8] approximately 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) south of the town.[9] The statue is set on a small plateau amongst pine forest.[4]
Etymology
Abaj means "stone" in several contemporary highland Maya languages, including Kʼicheʼ and Kaqchikel,[10] while Pascual means "Easter" in Spanish.[11] "King Pascual" has been recorded as the subject of veneration since at least the 19th century.[10] Turcaj (spelled Turk'aj in modern Maya orthography) is the Kʼicheʼ name for the hill upon which the shrine is located.[3]
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External links
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