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Key Details
Type
UnderworldMythology
Mesoamerican Pantheon
Realm
Mythological / Non-physical
About This Location
Place of fear
Xibalba in the K'iche' Popol Vuh is the underworld of One Death and Seven Death. The Hero Twins Hunahpu and Xbalanque descend, survive the dark house, razors, cold, jaguars, fire, and bats, and defeat the lords at the ballgame. Their father and uncle died on the same road. It is a court of tests, not a Mexica Mictlan. Do not merge the two. The text is colonial-era alphabetic but draws on Classic Maya underworld imagery.
Primary Sources
“They went down to Xibalba, to the place of One Death and Seven Death, and they were summoned to the ballcourt.”
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