CMGG entry for yax chit juun witz' nah kan      (This article is part of the Learner's Maya Glyph Guide.)

Alternative readings: YAX CHIT NAH KAN / JUUN WITZ' NAH KAN / YAX JUUN WITZ'
Translation: waterlily serpent deity
Part of speech: Noun

Spellings of yax chit juun witz' nah kan

                                                                                             

Bíró-ONtM.p4.fig3 (Mathews)                                      Mathews                                Helmke&Kupprat-WSA.p40.fig1.d                      

BPK Stela 2 H1-H2                                                            LTI Panel 2 B3                        PMT Panel 1 (top right)                                        

IX.<YAX:CHIT> <1:WITZ’>.<NAH:KAN>                         1:<YAX.WITZ’>                       <YAX:CHIT>.<1:WITZ’> NAH.<ka:KAN>             

 

Coll-2

QRG Stela J D8-D9

YAX.<CHIT:ta> 1.WITZ’ NAH.KAN

 

                                           

Coll-1                                                                                                                   

YAX HS2 Step 7 Q3-R4                                                                                      

u.<BAAH:li{aan}> YAX:<CHIT:ta> 1.WITZ’ NAH.<KAN:na>                         

 

                                                                                                

Graham                                                    Graham                                        Coll-1                                                                                     Mathews

YAX Lintel 1 E2-F2                                  YAX Lintel 15 B2,E1                    YAX Lintel 28 S2-T2                                                             LTI Panel 2 B3

IX.1.WITZ’ NAH:<ka:KAN>                    YAX:CHIT NAH:KAN                    *IX.<*1:*WITZ’> <NAH:ka:*KAN>.<IX:*UH>                  1.<YAX:WITZ’>

 

·    Chinchilla-ItCotMG.p438.pdfp15.para1.l+6: Stuart suggests a reading for its hieroglyphic name as Juun Witz’ Nah Kan. In the hieroglyphic script, the Water-Lily Serpent served as the head variant of the number thirteen, and it also substituted for the HAAB’ logogram. Several studies interpret it as symbolizing standing bodies of water. This may explain its association with the Maize God, who frequently appears in aquatic settings in ancient Maya art.

·    The full name of the Waterlily Serpent Deity is Yax Chit Juun Witz’ Nah Kan (3 examples above) but shorter versions are known:

o Juun Witz’ Nah Kan (YAX Lintel 1 & 28).

o Yax Chit Nah Kan (YAX Lintel 15).

o Yax Juun Witz’ (LTI Panel 2).

·    All three variants of CHIT are shown in the examples:

o The one which looks like lo, or IHK’ (black) without the “darkness” cross-hatching.

o The one which looks like pe – the rabbit-head.

o The deity head.

·    Meaning: “First-Father, One Waterlily-Serpent(-Monster), First-Snake”.

·    Sub-parts of his name end up as appellatives for humans – can be men or women; on BPK Stela 2, and some of the YAX lintels, it forms part of the extended title/name of some of the nobles.

·    Comments:

o In the example from PMT Panel 1 (top right), the WITZ’ variant is the one with a WINIK above, rather than HA’.