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The Mayan-Toltec rain god, Chaac Mool
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To celebrate the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’
“discovery” of the New World, the Banco de Mexico
issued a remarkable series of coins commemorating the Pre-Columbian
civilizations of Mexico. The Mayan Empire, the longest-lasting
and most influential of these civilizations, was honored in
1994 with four spectacular one-ounce silver coins featuring
Mayan sculpture. The most popular of these coins by far was
the “Chaac Mool” type, featuring the mysterious
reclining “red-jaguar” rain god, worshipped over
1,000 years ago by the Mayans. Chaac was an especially important deity in the drought-plagued
Yucatan Peninsula of southeastern Mexico. He was originally
depicted with protruding fangs, large round eyes, and a large
nose, but when the Toltecs conquered the Mayans in the 10th
Century, they installed a very different-looking version of
Chaac. The new
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deity was depicted in a semi-reclining position, supporting himself
at the elbows, with his knees bent, and holding a dish between his
hands.
It is believed that this dish was a receptacle for human hearts.
To appease Chaac Mool, human sacrifices (usually prisoners of war)
were stripped of their clothing, painted blue, and then led before
Chaac Mool. Four elderly priests, called chaacs, held down the victim’s
arms and legs, while the sacrificer, or nacom, used a flint dagger
to open the chest. The still-beating heart was then torn out and
placed in the deity’s bowl, after which the body was thrown
down the steps to be skinned, dismembered, and eaten by the faithful.
Chaac Mool is featured on the reverse of these fascinating Mexican
five-peso coins, with the date, 1994, to the left. On the obverse
is the Mexican national emblem, an eagle standing on one leg on
a cactus, grasping a snake with its beak and free foot. These beautifully
struck, matte-finish coins contain one ounce of .999 fine silver.
They have now become very difficult to find, but recently, we were
able to acquire a small group in Brilliant Uncirculated condition,
and are now very pleased to be able offer them to our customers—
at least while they last. This would be an excellent time to acquire
one or more of these “Chaac Mool” silver pieces, especially
if you badly need some rain in your neck of the woods. |
