The ancient Mayan civilization is without a doubt one of the most important cultures in the history of humanity. But curiously, a lot of myths have been created around it. And among all these myths, the best known in the world is that of “The Astronaut of Palenque” Join me on a new journey of exploration and discovery where we will visit archaeological ruins, communities with ancient traditions that will give us clues about the meaning of the elements of the image of The Astronaut of Palenque”.
But we will also go to visit great museums where we will know an exact copy of Pakal's tombstone. But the most important thing is that we will carry out an iconographic analysis with other Mayan elements to be able to know without a doubt what the true meaning of this is known as the Astronaut of Palenque. In the high mountains of Mexico, sailing rivers alone, collaborating in the rescue of our heritage and documenting some of our almost disappeared traditions .
. . But always with the advice of the best and most recognized experts in each subject, it is the way in which I take the history, archeology and decoding of ancient codices through digital animations, in order to know, value and protect our beloved Mexico.
I am in the archaeological zone of Uxmal, one of the most modern and best organized Mayan cities of its time. And the reason I am here is to begin to put things in context: without intention to belittle and I repeat it to be very clear: without intention to belittle! , the Mayan culture it is very important, it is beautiful and with great achievements in different areas such as the development of calendars and the use of zero in mathematics.
But nowhere, absolutely nowhere, do we see an evolutionary leap derived from contact with other civilizations. Here in the city of Uxmal we find different examples of the so-called "Mayan arch" although the reality, and that is evident, is that it is not an arch. So this is about as close as the Mayan civilization was to the compression of a circumference applied to architecture and physics.
Finally, before entering the subject and we are already talking about circumferences, I comment that almost 800 years before the Pakal tombstone was carved in Mexico, which is known as "the astronaut of Palenque", in ancient Greece 800 years before the circumference of the earth and the distance between the earth and the sun had already been calculated with amazing precision… Very important information if you want to travel through space! But going back, as you can see, I find myself in the National Museum of Anthropology, in the CDMX and I am here for a very curious reason: in Palenque there is no access to Pakal's tomb (besides you find many chickens on the road! I will tell you about that at the end) but well, in this museum you can visit an exact replica and it is exactly this.
Now according to the theories that postulate this is an "alien" or a "Mayan astronaut" piloting his spaceship . . .
well this is the astronaut and these are the controls and pedals he is activating. This part is the propellants and both this element and these others are the exhaust gases that leave the ship. This other element corresponds to the nose of the ship.
And as everyone knows, aliens are recognized for their great sense of humor! and a sample of that we find here: in this little bird that crossed right in front of the spaceship . .
. poor bird! Join me on a journey through different parts of Mexico gathering information that allows us to know the meaning of Pakal's tomb.
Well, as you can see I am in the town of San Cristóbal de las Casas, one of my favorite places in all of Mexico. The reality is that here is my hotel room. But what I want to show you and that is very important is located in the town next door.
. . and that's where I'm headed at the moment.
I only ask for your patience. Not for the horse! It happens that what they will see may not seem very important but in the end, when we start to tie the dots they will see that it is.
And well, the truth is that getting to that town is very easy and fast by public transport, but I decided that it was more fun to stretch our legs for a while . . .
I mean the horse's legs! I am in the town of San Juan Chamula. This church is famous throughout the world not only for the deep mysticism that is lived in the interior.
. . Here we also find one of the greatest examples of religious syncretism.
Different ethnic groups coexist in the town of San Juan Chamula and all of them are from Mayan filming. However, what I am interested in showing you is this cross that seems to be the typical atrial cross but is actually a Ceiba tree the “sacred tree” of the Mayans! When walking through the streets of San Juan Chamula it is common to find this ceibas tree.
But leaving syncretism aside what these ceibas represent is the "Axis Mundi". Thus, according to the accounts of Mayan mythology, this sacred tree sinks its roots in the underworld, extends its branches through the different star levels and becomes the axis that connects the lower superior with the earthly world. Now this that I have just mentioned is very important to understand the precise meaning of Pakal's tombstone and I refer to the ceiba tree interpreted as “the cosmic tree” and which in turn is “the Axis Mundi”.
In the Kohunlich archaeological zone I have come across some of the most impressive ceiba trees that I have had the opportunity to see and particularly it is an ideal place to quickly explain the concept of Axis Mundi. Now, using this magnificent Ceiba tree as a background, I will give you a brief introduction to the basic concepts of “sacred geometry” which, by the way, has nothing to do with esoteric issues and which I talk about extensively in another documentary… But one of the many postulates of sacred geometry mentions that the human body is contained within a kind of prism and here two horizontal axes are located that divide "the four directions of the universe". But we also find a vertical axis that connects the earthly level of men on the surface with the underworld and the higher or heavenly levels and this is the Axis Mundi.
But let's continue gathering clues and go to a perhaps unexpected place: the Otomí region in central Mexico. The Xamagé carnival festivities have their origin in pre-Hispanic times and the whole concept revolves around the struggle and sacrifice derived from the scarcity of resources in the region. In this place, as in many other towns in Mexico, Catholic festivals are accompanied by pre-Hispanic rites.
Here people cross themselves and then make a copal smoke offering to “the four directions of the universe” and also to the Axis Mundi. This same religious greeting is replicated by the cowboys in the area. And finally in a massive way with the members of different communities this offering is made to heaven, to earth, to the north and south and east and west.
Not far from here, on the edge of the town you will find in this area with cave paintings. Here we can see what is interpreted as a group of people surrounding and perhaps worshiping a gigantic corn plant. Is it possible that this corn plant acts as an Axis Mundi from which the four directions of the universe radiate?
Yes. It is probable. I must comment that many plants exchange roles as sacred elements.
Thus in the Mayan area the ceiba tree predominates, but also the corn. By the way, all this that I am commenting is very important to know the meaning of Pakal's tombstone. So don't despair.
When we start tying up the dots you will see that everything is connected! This is the number one page of the Fejérváry-Mayer codex. What is represented here is, among other things, "the four directions of the universe" and as we can see in each direction there is a tree.
Now the course and the tree that interests us is this. And how we can recognize branches curdled with thorns on its trunk is a ceiba tree. But wait!
This coming is a very important fact: As we can see this ceiba tree is seen swollen in the trunk and this has been interpreted as a symbol of "pregnancy"; as if she was going to give birth! According to experts, this codex has both Aztec and Mayan influences. Oh!
Look: here is also a little bird! What a coincidence, right? No.
The truth is not a coincidence. These are pages 49, 50, 51 and 52 of the Borgia codex. These pages also represent, among other things, “the four courses of the universe” and each course is represented by a tree and as we observe on each tree is a bird.
Now, explaining the meaning of each one would take too long and for that there is the documentary "Sacred Geometry". And what I want to make clear here and for the subject that concerns us is the iconography and in that sense what I must highlight in addition to "the four directions of the universe" is that each course is represented by a tree and this one has the shape of a cross. Also on each tree we find a bird.
But in these images we discover a new element and it is this one that provides us with important information to solve the mystery of Pakal's tombstone. So; As we see, each tree is born from an entity related to the underworld. To understand the importance of these, let's look at the last element, the last piece of the puzzle, before we begin to decipher the tombstone of Pakal's tomb!
This other work in I deciphered the page of a codex related to the god Tlaloc. On that occasion I briefly told you about “Cipactli, the monster of the earth”. Cipactli is a mythical being that floated in the primeval seas and is often identified with a kind of colossal crocodile.
According to the myth Cipactli was cut in half to create heaven and earth, and these two halves of his body were separated and supported by four trees placed in the four directions of the universe. Let's look at page 27 of the Borgia codex. Here, at the bottom, we find a representation of Cipactli, although unfortunately it is already very damaged so in order to explain it, I am going to make a digital transfer, reconstructing the missing parts a little.
And well this is Cipactli. It is cut in half and this is its lower part that corresponds to the earth and here we see some corn plants growing on the surface As you will remember the cartoonists called “Tlacuilos” were the ones who were in charge of painting the codices in ancient Mesoamerica and as I already showed you in the documentary "The Place Where the Trees Have Teeth", although there was a kind of visual language the reality is that each Tlacuilo interpreted it in a way, let's say… personal! This image is from page 44 of the Nuttall codex.
But give me the opportunity to eliminate some elements that are not left over at this time, such as this priest, this calendrical element and this mountain. So what we are left with is a "sacred tree". But do not think that it is any tree .
. . No!
This is the Axis Mundi! And we know it by several elements. Some of us have already seen them.
Others are new: like this division in two that represents two flows, one ascending and another descending, and that connect the celestial levels, with the earthly and the underworld and vice versa! This other element is a stream of blood and is a reference to the mythical Tamoanchan tree, which I also talked about in another documentary. But .
. . wait!
How did we get to this point and why am I talking about this? Don't forget… For the last clue we just saw: Cipactli, “the monster of the earth” And just like that Cipactli we find it here, synthesized and represented only by its crocodile head and acting as the root of the cosmic tree. So to close topics and as we can see the iconography can change but the concepts are the same.
Well, now, in this same element, we are going to analyze one last concept before finally moving on to deciphering the tombstone of Pakal's grave. Do you remember the ceiba tree that we saw a moment ago? , the one that had been interpreted as if it were "pregnant"?
Well, what we are seeing in this image is what has been interpreted as a "cosmic tree" from which the sun has just born. This other image belongs to the Vindobonensis codex whose origin is the Mixtec region of Oaxaca and tells us about the birth of a caudillo or a god. But what matters to us for the subject we are dealing with is that we see that this character is born from the top of the sacred tree.
Well, what do you think . . .
These were more than 15 minutes just to gather pure information! Perhaps more than one thinks that it was too much . .
. But believe me: I know these issues. They arouse a lot of passion and I am one of those who prefer “to have all the flanks covered” But we are already back at our point of origin: the National Museum of Anthropology.
And by the way . . .
see this fountain? It represents Axis Mundi and "the four directions of the universe". A concept that, as we have already seen, is very common in all the cultures of ancient Mexico.
But let's go back to the Mayan culture room for, now yes! Start putting all the pieces of this puzzle together. And well .
. . What is the gravestone of Pakal's grave telling us?
Are you a Mayan astronaut? Are you a visitor from space? is it an ancient alien?
Absolutely not! This is the tombstone of a tomb: the tomb of Pakal, a great Mayan ruler who is fully documented. And like the epitaphs in some modern tombs, what these inscriptions tell us are only the beliefs that were held of a life after death.
In other words: this is an aspect of the worldview of the Mayan culture. But let's go to decipher it by applying everything we saw earlier. .
. This is the correct position to analyze Pakal's headstone. This is the Pakal ruler and his posture, quite unusual, does not manipulate any kind of pedals or controls of a spaceship.
On the contrary, Pakal's position is that of a newborn and as it is a tombstone, we understand that Pakal is going to be reborn. (See the attached video for more examples of newborn adults in Mayan art) Well, let's welcome our first clue: the god being born from a sacred tree. And now let's look at the sun that rises from “the cosmic tree” the Axis Mundi .
. . And let's not forget, of course, the pregnant ceiba!
All of these are references of birth or regeneration linked to "sacred trees" And since we are talking about sacred trees . . .
well, what do you think? This element that arises or is born from Pakal himself is a "sacred tree"! In this sense, some researchers identify it as a "corn plant", but others as a ceiba tree.
But what I want to highlight in its stylized form, very stylized! It refers us to a cross and this one not only reminds us of the Crosses of the town of San Juan Chamula, those that are not crosses . .
. that really are ceiba! And as I was saying, this stylized Cross that is actually a "cosmic tree" reminds us of other cosmic trees, also stylized and cross-shaped that I already showed you earlier.
Those related to the four directions of the universe But wait. Later we will talk more about this . .
. But now we have to focus on what is known as the "cosmic tree" and the cosmic tree is nothing more than the Axis Mundi, and as we have already seen, the Axis Mundi is that vertical axis that connects the earthly level with the different higher levels and the underworld. Thus, the connection with the higher levels is found here with this element that is the "heavenly bird" or the God Itzamnaaj.
At the bottom we find, of course! with “the monster of the underworld” that is something like the Mayan equivalent of Cipactli and likewise acts as the root of the "Cosmic Tree". This will be perfectly clear later, but in this case, this monster is represented in his dedication of "the four-part monster".
Now, the latter we know from this symbol that is of solar filiation and how we can appreciate it is divided into four directions, lobes or quadrants. So, as we can see, all the concepts we saw at the beginning of this documentary begin to take shape and meaning in the figures carved in this tomb. But we continue with the analysis that other elements that are of great importance are still missing, such as this two-headed snake that is a single entity, but with characteristics of duality.
This fact is reinforced with these two ages that emerge from their jaws and that according to some researchers could be the representation of the same God. Now, this other element, let's say it is not common but it is not strange either and it was identified as an "astral path" and in this case it is nothing more than an extension of the body or jaws of the “earth monster”. So that; what Pakal's tombstone actually tells us has absolutely nothing to do with ancient aliens.
This tombstone (work of art! ) represents Pakal's death, his descent into the underworld, his rebirth and his ascent through the "Cosmic Tree" or Axis Mundi to the heavenly levels. Well, I know that at this moment many will say "Okay: Pakal, the Tree, the Monster and the Bird .
. . but I still see the shape of a spaceship!
” And of course! We have been hearing about this pareidolia for decades! !
But the curious thing is that these pseudo-scientists who postulate in the theory of "ancestral aliens" only compare Pakal's tomb with space rockets but never, not even jokingly, has it occurred to them to compare it with other Mayan works of art . . .
But I am going to do it! Right here, in the National Museum of Anthropology, in the Mayan room we find this other replica, also from Palenque and that is "the Board of the Temple of the Cross". As we will see below in the iconographic analysis, this piece has nothing to do with spaceships, but it does bear a profound similarity in terms of its symbolism with Pakal's tombstone.
By the way, this is Pakal, who although he had died a few years earlier, is depicted alive. Leaving aside the effigies of rulers and calendrical symbols, we will focus on a central element. And here we can see another image almost identical to the one found on Pakal's tombstone: a "Cosmic Tree" or Axis Mundi Well, this possible ceiba tree or corn plant is born from the earth, from the "monster of the underworld" that as we see with this symbol is also represented in its dedication of "four-part monsters".
Another element of duality but that when found intertwined with the branches of the "Cosmic Tree" could give a reference to the "four directions of the universe", is this two-headed serpent. And finally, crowning the upper level of this Axis Mundi we see "The Heavenly Bird" again. A further example, also of Palenque and of a similar temporality is "the foliage cross board”.
Here we can distinguish practically the same elements. However, when it comes to formal treatment, we do observe some differences. For example, the "Cosmic Tree", the Axis Mundi is in this case obviously a corn plant.
Now, as far as the "Earth Monster" is concerned, we continue to see a similar style here. Even the element "of the four parts", which is of solar filiation and which shows us the "four directions of the universe" is also present. On the other hand, in the "Foliage Cross" the double-headed serpent is not found, but in a similar way to the one that appears on Pakal's tombstone, what we do find are two heads, possibly deities, which in one case, Pakal's, they emerge from the jaws of the “double-headed serpent” and that in the case of the foliage Cross they emerge from the corn plant itself, as if they were the ears of corn!
Even the vegetable fibers act as the hair of the heads themselves And finally, to conclude this comparison, we also see "the Heavenly Bird" So, as we can see in these three elements, the styles between them are almost identical! But also the concept or message is without a doubt the same: a "Cosmic Tree" that connects the levels of the underworld with the earthly and the heavenly. And the only difference it has nothing to do with space rockets!
is that in one of these three examples Pakal appears and appears for the simple reason o f what his grave is and why in this case the concept of Axis Mundi is the metaphor that his rebirth and rise from the underworld and to the celestial level . While the other two examples are simply stelae. Well, to conclude I know that there will still be a skeptic.
Someone who is possibly thinking: "Well, I understand the concept but I don't see a relationship with the image. " "Those trees are very rare" and "the monster does not look like a crocodile" . .
. Okay; in principle you could say they are right and yet they forget that this is not a naturalistic style. On the contrary, here the treatment of the images is strongly schematized But if you do not believe me and have doubts, then I "have an ace up your sleeve" and this is the last image that I am going to share with you to conclude the topic: the stela number 25 of Izapa.
Izapa, like Palenque, is located in the state of Chiapas and is an archaeological zone with great Mayan influence. Now, as for this stela, if we eliminate these elements . .
. what are we left with? Yes, obviously here we see that the "monster of the earth" is a crocodile!
and as for the "Cosmic Tree" it is undoubtedly a ceiba tree. Even the circular trunk formations like those of the ceiba trees that I showed you in Kohunlich archaeological zone appear here and also refer to the same crocodile skin On the other hand, here the Heavenly Bird looks quite naturalistic. However, it has a great symbolic charge.
If we look closely we will see that it has another face in the body in the same way as the birds that I already showed you in the past examples. Why are these style changes between the first three and the latter? Well, it happens that the first ones are of a similar temporality: between the years 680, 690 and 700 of our era and that of Izapa is dated between 300 and 50 BC.
This means that there is a separation between them that goes from the 700, to almost a thousand years of difference and obviously in this long period of time the styles changed, evolved, transformed; although in its essence the message remained the same. Let's not forget that neither Picasso nor Miguel Angel painted in the same way at the beginning, as at the end of their careers. Oh!
Music is over! But also the subject. So again here, in San Cristóbal de las Casas, I will make the final considerations.
The great historian Alfredo López Austin mentions in history the existence of something called "the hard core" and these are the "primordial elements", the internal structure of a worldview that takes a long time to change. As we have just seen throughout this documentary, the concept of "Axis Mundi" and "the four directions of the universe" remains in force, not only in the Otomí region we visited. We also saw it present in the Cross - Ceibas tree of San Juan Chamula.
As for the elements that we analyzed, we saw codices of the central zone of Mexico and the Valleys of Oaxaca. And well, we also analyze various elements of Maya art and after all the above we found nothing, absolutely nothing! to support the theory of "ancient aliens".
But on the other hand everything reinforces the concept that Pakal's tomb is this ruler's vision of his own rebirth and his rise from the underworld to heavenly levels. Only this and no more and no less! On the other hand, and excuse me for saying it, but we also do not know our culture, even the basic concepts!
That any pseudo-scientist comes with a theory that is clearly stupid and without foundations . . .
and we believe it ! ! It is sad and shameful.
"They keep giving us little mirrors"! And . .
. “tan, tán". This documentary is over!
cheers! ! I almost forgot to tell you the story of the chicken Well, many will wonder: "Why do you make a documentary about Palenque, without having gone to Palenque?
" And the truth is that I did . . .
but I didn't! It happens that in a town not far from Palenque there were some children playing along the road and with a chicken… And well "casually" that escapes them and I passed with my truck on the chicken. But here "the news flies", and 10 meters ahead was a group of armed men who wanted to force me to pay for the dead chicken.
They said I should pay them $ 100 US for the chicken.
