The main description of a priestly hierarchy as it functioned in the first decades of the 16th century stems from Landa's account of Yucatec society, but isolated terms for priestly offices have also been transmitted from other
Maya groups.
The Yucatec hierarchy Recruitment In Yucatán, priests were
sons of priests or second sons of
nobles. The priesthood provided high status positions for those children of the Maya nobility who could not obtain political office. They were trained through an apprentice system, with young adults being selected according to their descent and individual abilities.
Offices The high priest of the kingdom ('province') was called
ahau can mai or
ah kin mai, with
mai being either a
family name or a functional designation. The position was hereditary, usually passed on to sons or
close relatives. The high priest lived from the contributions of his town priests and the gifts of the
lords. The responsibilities of the
ahau can mai included the writing of
books; the teaching of the
Maya script and the
Maya calendar to the novices; examining and appointing new priests and providing them with books; performing the more important rituals; and advising the other lords. The town priest was called
ah kʼin, a word with a basic meaning of 'diviner' (
kʼin by itself meaning '
sun' or 'day'). The
ah kʼinob had the responsibility of conducting public and private rituals within individual towns throughout the province. They "preached and published the
festival days," determined the appropriate steps in case of need, made sacrifices, and administered the "
sacraments", acts connected to life cycle
rituals. The town priests were assisted by four old men called
chac. The priests carrying out
human sacrifice were called
ah nakom; their status was relatively low. Priests giving oracles were known as
chilan or
chilam, 'oracular priest' (often translated as '
prophet'; an influential role, with the
Chilam Balam as a prime example). The
chilan may have used
mind-altering substances.
The Itzá priesthood The last independent Maya state,
the 17th-century Itzá kingdom of
Nojpetén, was ruled by the king, Kan Ekʼ and the high priest,
Ajkʼín Kan Ekʼ. Their priesthood seems to have consisted of 12 priests: In the hall of the dwelling of the petty king, Ajau Kan Ekʼ, was a stone table with twelve seats for the priests. This priestly college is reminiscent of the twelve head priests of the kingdom of Mayapan. The Itzá high priest should perhaps be counted its 13th member. Thirteen priests are also mentioned as part of a classificatory system shared by the Yucatec and the Itzá states, and further comprising 13
katuns, 13 provinces and 13 ambassadors.
Iconography In
Chichen Itza (
Temple of the
Chac Mool under the Temple of the Warriors), long-robed, aged and ascetic-looking characters with broad-rimmed
feather hats have been depicted that are carrying offerings. They are seated in a row with
rain deity impersonators (perhaps rainmakers) directly behind them, and have been interpreted as Itzá priests.
Priestly offices outside Yucatán In dictionaries concerning the 16th-century Pokom Mayas of the
Verapaz, one finds terms like
ah mai and
ah zi 'those who make offerings';
ah zacumvach, 'white countenance' and
ah quih for diviner; and
ihcamcavil, 'carrier of the
idol', a function like that fulfilled by the first ancestors of the Kʼicheʼ and probably referring to priests serving in processions.
Black sorcerers (
ah itz,
ah var,
ah kakzik) were consulted by lords and
princes for witchcraft against enemies and for
defensive magic. ==The priesthood in the Classic Period==