The discovery of the most important god in the Mayan religion

Scientists from Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) have unearthed a statue of God Wu, the most important god in the Mayan religion, dating back about 1,300 years.

The head of the god of corn, the most important god in the Mayan religion.

This is the first time researchers have found a statue representing the head of God Wu, at the Palenque site, in the state of Chiapas in northern Mexico.

In earlier discoveries, the complete image of Than Ngo appeared only in frescoes or drawings on ceramic vases and plates. The plastered statue has a maximum length of 45cm, a maximum width of 16cm and a height of 22cm.

According to scientists, the statue depicting Than Ngo has 'graceful' features such as a pointed and cleft chin, thin lips revealing the upper front teeth, thin, round cheekbones, long thin eyes, and a forehead. wide, flat and sharp nose.

The statue is placed in the East-West direction, symbolizing the birth of the corn plant when receiving the first rays of sunlight.

Archaeologists believe that the statue is part of a variety of offerings placed on a waterhole with an area of ​​​​1x3m, surrounded by plastered banks, simulating the entrance to the underground world in the Mayan religion.

The specimen is placed on a plate with three legs, implying that this is the head that has been severed from the body. Many statues found previously also depict the headless God Wu.

According to INAH researcher Arnoldo González Cruz, the discovery tells a lot about ancient Mayan beliefs regarding the birth, death and resurrection of the corn god. In mythology, the Mayans created cornmeal.

The Mayan god of 'jade' is a young man, the embodiment of a seed sown in the ground. In the underworld, Shen Wu rides on a boat steered by the gods and eventually sprouts on a tortoise shell, representing the earth.