Chaac: The Lord of Rain and LightningChaac: The Lord of Rain and Lightning

The Appearance of a Warrior

Chaac is not a typical handsome god. He is often depicted with reptilian scales, a long pendulous nose, and protruding fangs. He carries a lightning axe made of jade, which he uses to strike the clouds to produce thunder and rain.

The Myth of the Sacred Maize

The Maya believed that humans were made from maize (corn), but long ago, all the grain was hidden inside a massive mountain called the Mountain of Sustenance.

None of the other gods could open the mountain. They tried to break it, but they failed. Finally, they called for Chaac. Chaac gathered all his strength and struck the mountain with his powerful lightning axe. The mountain cracked open, and the seeds of maize were released to the people. However, the strike was so hot that it "toasted" some of the corn, which is why we have white, yellow, and red maize today!

The Four Chaacs

The Maya believed that Chaac was one god, but also four gods at the same time. Each one stood at the four corners of the world:

• The Red Chaac of the East.

• The White Chaac of the North.

• The Black Chaac of the West.

• The Yellow Chaac of the South.

The Sacrifices and the Cenotes

Because water was scarce in the Yucatan peninsula, the Maya believed Chaac lived in deep natural sinkholes called cenotes. To please him and ensure the rain would fall, they would throw precious jade, gold, and sometimes even sacrifices into these deep blue waters. They believed these cenotes were portals directly to Chaac's watery palace.